What did the translation of Schiaparelli's term *canali* imply to English speakers?
Answer
Artificial waterways strongly suggesting construction by an intelligent species
The Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli observed features he termed *canali*, which simply translates to 'channels' or 'grooves'. However, when this term was adopted and translated into English, it took on the connotation of artificial waterways. This linguistic shift strongly suggested that these observed features were constructed by an intelligent civilization inhabiting Mars, rather than being natural geological formations. This interpretation became a crucial focal point for speculation about intelligent Martian life, especially when later championed by figures like Percival Lowell, who believed they were engineered irrigation systems.
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