We could live longer on Mars than on the Earth

An alien on the Red Planet-Ball

Contrary to what scientists generally think, we would live longer on Mars than on the Earth, if the only parameter that changed was the gravity of each planet.

Those who have understood Einstein’s general relativity thought that under stronger gravity, time passes more slowly. The acceleration of gravity on the Earth is g = 9.8 m/s² and on Mars it is g = 3.711 m/s². This implies that time passes more slowly on the Earth. This is true for local time. If a clock measures 24 hours passing on the Earth, the same clock on the Red Planet records that more than 24 hours have passed. But if we take the same measurement under zero gravity, we will see that more time has passed than on the Earth or on Mars.

If we consider time under zero gravity as the real or standard time, we will see that, in the time that has passed, we have less time to do things on Earth than on Mars. Let’s exaggerate the example. For example, let’s say that 26 hours under zero gravity correspond to 24 hours on the Earth and 25 hours on Mars. According to our clock on the Earth, we would think that 24 hours have passed when 26 hours have actually passed. We would be wasting two hours every 26 real hours. Meanwhile, on Mars, we would lose only one hour every 26 hours.

A person on the Earth thinks that less time has passed than has actually passed. It is an impression based on his clock. When 24 hours have passed according to a clock on Mars, fewer than 26 hours of standard time have passed (remember, under zero gravity). When 24 hours have passed according to a clock on Earth, 26 hours of standard time have already passed.

Hence, we age more on the Earth than on Mars. I remind you that the above is an example and the differences in time are actually much smaller. But we can draw the conclusion that gravity ages people, contrary to what scientists thought.

Note: The ideas presented in this article are the author’s conjectures and are subject to review.

More on gravity, time and relativity

For the related argument about gravity and time, see my earlier post, Dismounting Einstein. Gravity does not affect time.

For another thought experiment involving relativity, photon energy and momentum, see my photon-and-meteorite calculation.