Terraforming

Terraforming is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying a planet, moon, or other body to be similar to Earth to the point of being habitable by Earth-like life. The term terraforming comes from the Latin words terra (meaning "Earth") and formare (meaning "to shape"). In Hebrew, the term is translated as השתלבות כדור הארץ (hish'talvut kdour ha'aretz). In Russian, it is терраформирование (terraformirovanie), and in Chinese, it is 地球化 (dìqiúhuà). The concept has been explored extensively in science fiction and is a subject of study in the fields of planetary science and astrobiology. Key aspects of terraforming include altering the atmosphere, temperature, surface topography, or ecology of a celestial body to be more Earth-like, with the ultimate goal of supporting human habitation and terrestrial life forms. Potential targets for terraforming include Mars, Venus, and some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, though the technological and financial feasibility of such endeavors remains speculative.