In 1907 Wallace wrote the short book Is Mars Habitable? to criticize the claims made by Percival Lowell that there were Martian canals built by intelligent beings. Wallace did months of research, consulted various experts, and produced his own scientific analysis of the Martian climate and atmospheric conditions. Among other things Wallace pointed out that spectroscopic analysis had shown no signs of water vapor in the Martian atmosphere, that Lowell's analysis of Mars' climate was seriously flawed and badly overestimated the surface temperature, and that low atmospheric pressure would make liquid water, let alone a planet girding irrigation system, impossible.
This is a very timely work since we are again in the age of Martian exploration. As the title suggests this book is about the controversy that was brewing in the late 1800s early 1900s as to weather there was actually life on Mars.
The work specifically is a counter to a publication by Mr. Percival Lowell. Who in a previous book suggested that Mars remarkably similar to earth and that it has abundant macro life on it surface not to mention running water and an ancient civilization.
The work is well though out and all the arguments are backed up using the most up to date astronomical discoveries and theories of the time. It is surprising given the resources and the stat of technology of the time exactly how much the author got right. At least from the point of view of the knowledge we have today.
