terraform

American  

[ter-uh-fawrm] / ˈtɛr əˌfɔrm /

verb (used with object)

1. to alter the environment of (a celestial body) in order to make capable of supporting terrestrial life forms.

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Usage

What does terraform mean? Terraform means to change the environment of a planet to make it like Earth or at least make it able to support life like Earth does. The idea of terraforming a planet (or another celestial body, like a moon) so humans and other life forms could survive there was originally just the stuff of science fiction. However, it is now sometimes the subject of serious scientific consideration, especially the possibility of terraforming Mars for human habitation. Example: Some theorists think humanity could develop the technology to terraform Mars, but others think it’s simply impossible.

Etymology

Origin of terraform

1975–80; terra + form; perhaps taken as v. use of an adj. with -form as second element

Explanation

To terraform is to alter a celestial body to make it livable for humans. Some scientists imagine terraforming Mars to support a colony of earthlings — but don't hold your breath (which you'd have to do on Mars, because it has almost no oxygen). The concept of terraforming distant planets is common in science fiction, but it's not likely to happen in our lifetime. Creating a breathable atmosphere on Mars could take hundreds or even hundreds of thousands of years! And then there's the issue of altering the planet's magnetic field to keep the atmosphere in place, dealing with the toxic soil on the red planet, getting liquid water to support life, etc. With current technology, it's not possible to terraform Mars — but maybe humans of the future will be marslings, not earthlings.

Example Sentences

“It would be far, far easier and cheaper to ‘terraform’ the deserts on our own planet than to terraform Mars.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024

BMO is happily shuttling through space armed with potatoes — and a song about potatoes: "They're better than tomatoes!" — on a mission to terraform Mars when they're suddelny thrown off course.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2020

Turning the red planet green: While we might be able to terraform Mars, should we?

From Slate • Sep. 19, 2018

We didn’t address what technology might be used, but Elon Musk has suggested, for example, that we could terraform Mars simply by exploding nuclear bombs over the polar caps.

From Scientific American • Aug. 27, 2018

Some have even suggested that future technology might allow us to terraform Mars—that is, to engineer its atmosphere and climate in ways that might make the planet more hospitable for long-term human habitation.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016