At the moment, breathing on Mars is something of a chore.  For one thing, the atmospheric pressure on the surface is less than 1% of Earth’s at sea level. Standing on Mars and trying to suck in some air would be about as effective as trying to do so from three times the height of Mount Everest. For another, the Martian atmosphere is almost entirely carbon dioxide, with just a smattering of nitrogen and argon for fun. Trying to find free oxygen to breathe is a losing game. The odds are little bit better, though, if you happen to be standing near the Perseverance rover . In 2021 a small experiment on the the nuclear-powered roving laboratory created nearly 50 grams of sweet, sweet O 2 out of literally thin air. That’s roughly 35 liters of breathable oxygen — if it were on Earth at sea level. Not enough to keep you alive for long, but that’s not really the point.  The point is that we can make air on Mars .…