DUNE Science: ARRAKIS vs MARS

Astrophysicist Andy Howell compares Mars and the planet Arrakis in Dune.

[Rauruatreides]

The water of Arrakis is a similar-ish situation to Mars. It has lots of it, but its mostly trapped below the ground. For Mars its just frozen groundwater, while for Arrakis it was trapped there by sandworm larva. Arrakis simply has Oxygen due to sand plankton and actual worms producing it (im kind of glad the "furnace" was removed in the movies, since that would just burn up what little oxygen the worm produced in the first place). Technically not feasible in the real world, but explanations nonetheless.

[jeremybaker]

Ya, but Mars has no people because there is no air.
Arrakis and Tatoonie, and Jakku have lots of different oxygen breathing life forms on them. I know you don't need trees to make oxygen. However non of those movies really explain wherebthe oxygen comes from. In Dune on Arrakis they do have nose tubes but they don't really explain them. (In the movies)

[Welverin]

Well, since a desert is defined by its annual precipitation, specifically its lack there of, yes.

[ianosf]

Now you said it, I've just realize mars is arrakis of the solar system

[BenDjinn]

Excellent story, excellent acting, excellent visuals but whoever was in charge of ambient music ruined that film. It was unnecessarily deafening

[fairworld]

If it's the lack of magnetic field to blame for losing the atmosphere why does venus have the over 90 times denser atmosphere than earth and no magnetosphere?

[ryahanse]

How can we terraform Mars with no magnetic field? I guess maybe add more air than the sun strips away?

[q]

If Mars had life, where are the skeletons?

[n_OUGHT]

So you're saying Mars is a drug planet? Is this the real reason why Musk tries so hard🤔😅

[patricknorton]

Arakkis doesn't have a reasonable source of free oxygen. It's not a realistic planet, its a setting for a story. A cool story, and really about humans on Earth.