Exploration of Mars seasonal vegetation and apparent linear features were ascribed to intelligent design. Further telescopic observations found two moons, Phobos and Deimos, polar ice caps and the feature now known as Olympus Mons, the solar system's tallest mountain. The discoveries piqued further interest in the study and exploration of the red planet. Mars is a rocky planet, like Earth, that formed around the same time, yet with only half the diameter of Earth, and a far thinner atmosphere; it has a cold and desert-like surface. The minimum-energy launch windows for a Martian expedition occur at intervals of approximately two years and two
Mars in culture in film. The theme of a Martian colony that fights for independence from Earth is a major plot element in the novels of Greg Bear as well as the movie "Total Recall" (based on a short story by Philip K. Dick) and the television series "Babylon 5". Some video games also use this element, including "Red Faction" and the "Zone of the Enders" series. Mars (and its moons) were also the setting for the popular "Doom" video game franchise and the later "Martian Gothic". Mars in culture Mars in culture is about the planet Mars in culture. For example, the