By Eleanor Cummins. Lv 7. From an average distance of 36 million miles (58 million kilometers), Mercury is 0.4 astronomical units away from the Sun. "But on Mercury, the atmosphere, or 'exosphere,' is so very rarefied that the atoms essentially never collide with other exosphere atoms." Provide that, and humans can exist anywhere.Mercury doesn't qualify as it stands. The main way that people are exposed to mercury is by eating fish and shellfish that have high levels of methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury, in their tissues. Mercury is inhospitable and sterile. Please refresh the page and try again. Thank you for signing up to Space. However, this would also make you four times as old. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. "Here on Earth at sea level, the molecules of air are colliding billions of times per second," Blewett said. It was named after Mercury, the swift messenger of the gods in ancient Roman mythology. "But, of course, it's really cold in those permanently shadowed areas where the ice is, and that presents its own challenge.". Conditions on Mercury would make living there a challenge. The planet closest to the sun has no atmosphere, oceans or visible signs of … The short and boring answer is no. There is some evidence at present that methylmercury can cause cancer in humans, but it is far from conclusive. Mercury is airless, so they would need a spacesuit to protect themselves from the vacuum of space. The possibility of life on Venus is a subject of interest in astrobiology due to its proximity and similarities to Earth.To date, no definitive proof has been found of past or present life on Venus.Theories have decreased significantly since the early 1960s, when spacecraft began studying the planet and it became clear that its environment is extreme compared to Earth's. 3 years ago. Mercury's extreme temperatures and lack of an atmosphere would make it very difficult, if not impossible, for people to live on the planet. Mercury’s neighbor, Venus, has an atmosphere that’s composed mainly of thick carbon dioxide, which traps the Sun’s heat and causes scorching … There was a problem. One astronomical unit (abbreviated as AU), is the distance from the Sun to Earth. A less common way people are exposed to mercury is breathing mercury vapor. The planet closest to the sun has no atmosphere, oceans or visible signs of life. Larger types of fish can have higher amounts of mercury … And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. Mercury rotates relatively slowly, so in order to survive, all you need is just catch the moment when the daytime temperature changes to the nighttime temperature, something comfortable between 800ºF and −290ºF. Get breaking space news and the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! You would also weigh about one-third of your current weight on Earth, without any exercise. Also, keep in mind mercury exposure can affect your mental state, so don't assume your personal assessment of your health is valid. By developing alternative locations off Earth, the planet's species, including humans, could live on in the event of natural or man-made disasters on our own planet.. On two occasions, theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking argued for space colonization as a means of saving humanity. With the use of pressure domes or under ground colonies, yes. A neutron-star crash spotted 3 years ago is still pumping out X-rays. Instead, it will be much more appealing to live on the outer regions of Saturn. By Eleanor Cummins. Check back each week for the next space destination. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. The first, Mariner 10, conducted a series of Mercury flybys in 1974, but the spacecraft only saw the lit half of the planet. Follow Joseph Castro on Twitter. [Living on Mercury Would Be Hard (Infographic)]. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system—only slightly larger than Earth's Moon. We cant live in mercury because there is no oxygen.And earth is unique in one way it is the only planet that has water.