io9
He was the man who launched a thousand imaginary rocketships to Mars — in the nineteenth century, before anybody knew the word "Martian" and War of the Worlds hadn't been written yet. Percival Lowell, a wealthy Bostonian, spent his youth traveling Japan and Korea before having a nervous breakdown and recovering by falling in love with Mars. He built the Lowell Observatory in Arizona just so he could get a better look at the planet, and spent months staring at it every night, taking notes and writing books about how it might be possible that other creatures lived there. A mesmerizing speaker, Lowell gave lectures and readings all over the country, popularizing the idea that the Martian "canals" might be signs of Martian civilization. With the new Phoenix Mars Lander about to plop down on the Red Planet, the Boston Globe's Nancy Zaroulis has published an amazing and timely article about Lowell's life.
Apparently, Lowell's unconventional thinking went beyond his desire to convince the public that Mars was inhabited. He broke off a marriage to a proper Boston lady, and wound up marrying a middle-class woman many deemed "beneath" him. He wrote several books about Japan and Korea, including the first book for Westerners that included photographs of Korea.
But his books about Mars (the first one called simply Mars), filled with pictures he drew based on all those nights in the observatory (you can see one above), were the most popular. Zaroulis writes:
The appearance of Lowell's book about Mars in 1895 came at a time of canal-building on earth. The Suez had recently been constructed; the Panama was in the works. For both Lowell and his adoring public, the prospect of canals on a neighboring planet was too captivating to dismiss. Let the stuffy academic scientists and astronomers carp and criticize, let them proclaim that there could not possibly be life on Mars because the Martian atmosphere was too thin, its gravity too weak. Lowell knew what he knew. He envisioned Mars society as a kind of utopia, with a place for every man and every man in his place. On Mars, there was no nonsense about workers' rights or labor unions or Progressivism or Socialism or any of the other discontents in the America of his time.Later in his life, Lowell became convinced there was a ninth planet in the solar system, which he dubbed Planet X. Nobody believed him, but years after his death Pluto was discovered and became the controversial ninth planet (some still say the tiny chunk of icy rock is really just an asteroid at best).
The article is a great read — check it out.
The Man Who Invented Mars [Boston Globe Magazine]
Comments
Hey Annalee, love the site. How about a post on non-Western sci-fi? I've always wondered if there's something out there besides anime (Robotech, Ghost in the Shell, etc.).
Hi Annalee, loved this article about Lowell.
I just found out that Tristram Cary died last week. RIP.
Always nice too here about ol' P.L.. Did'ja know the symbol for Pluto was chosen in part to honor him? Check it out: [upload.wikimedia.org]
I never thought about his theories about Mars as being reactions to the engineering and political events of his day. It makes a lot of sense. I always thought his canals came from eyestrain and connect-the-dotivisim.
@Tannhauser23: We're a little off topic here but try these Japanese authors: Kobe Abe, his most famous novel is "Inter Ice Age 4". Haruki Murikami is very popular these days. He's considered more magical-realism but uses many science-fiction elements.
Cheers!
I miss the days when the insanely rich and richly insane heirs of the finest families used their wealth and leisure to pursue grand eccentricities....
...as opposed to using it to convince Britney Spears to ride around town getting in and out of cars without any underwear.
I love posts like this!
@92BuickLeSabre: I agree, but note that we do have interestingly eccentric rich crackpots too. Like Ray Kurzweil. Although he's less lovable than Lowell.
Didn't Lowell also claim the canals were built as a desperate attempt to irrigate Mars in light of the "desertification" going on there?
And didn't he also warn that Earth might eventually face the same problem?
We do need more rich eccentrics to fund crazy endeavors. It's very disappointing to see the very wealthy hoard it all or use their riches to make "sound investments" that never produce anything worthwhile.
We need some heir or heiress to bet everything on fusion. Or a space elevator. Or anti-gravity.
If I were President, I'd propose the capital gains tax be raised to 95% with a complete exemption for Mad Science-based investments.
@Discrete-Daniel: Yes! We should form a mad scientists club and go looking for donors.
I'll carry the sign, "Will explore mars for insane amounts of money (or food)"
I think calling Lowell "a madman" may be a little harsh.
He was guilty of making assumptions based upon a love afair with the red planet, incomplete science and limited "seeing" with the technology he had available.
Although fanciful and incorrect, his published "visions" of Mars captivated the world and motivated a generation of astronomers.
A little respect, please.
(sp) affair
@Discrete-Daniel: I second the motion. All in favor of the insanely high tax rate for the insanely rich and subsequent tax break for the completely insane, say AYE!
@Castle1914: Okay everybody, say it with me:
"It's just crazy enough to work!"
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