Life was first discovered on Mars in 2029, during the first manned mission. Life is scarce on the red planet. There are fewer than a thousand distinct species alive today. This includes microbial life. Mars was once lush but suffered some catastrophic extinction event several million years ago. Several theories have been posited to explain this. Some of these theories seem quite outrageous and are not generally accepted in scientific circles.
The term Martian is used to refer to the planet’s only intelligent species. Homo Lutum Comedenti is the clumsy scientific name given to them. The name translates as Dirt Eater Man. Martians have evolved to extract all the nutrients and water they need from soil. Since Martian soil is poor, a large part of their day is spent scooping handfuls of dirt into their mouths. When humans first witnessed this, they were shocked and developed a sense of superiority over these primitive natives.
Martian society has changed drastically in the past hundred years. Traditional Martian societies are tribal and primitive. They are very spiritual and family oriented. The era of colonialism has moved all but a few pockets of the population into cities. Earth-based corporations, most notably [yadawiki link=”Galactocorp” show=”Galactocorp”], have established very large and profitable commercial operations in and around the cities they have built. Mineral mining and customer service call centers make up the majority of these ventures.
Martians have fallen in love with Earth culture. Consumerism runs rampant in Martian society. Restaurants are a booming business there. The idea of eating for pleasure is still new to them and has become a favorite pastime. Most Earth food provides them with little to no nourishment and passes through their systems quickly with little to no effect on their health.
