BBC SKY AT NIGHT MAGAZINE - You might think that Earth's influence on your life is minimal at best.
Beyond often appearing like a bright red 'star' in the sky, what has Mars ever done for us?
Quite a lot, it turns out. In fact, Mars could play a huge role in shaping the tilt of our planet and influencing the length of its Ice Ages.
Without Mars, the story of evolution on planet Earth might have played out rather differently.
Humans and animals might not exist, or might have evolved to look entirely different.
Exploring Mars's effect on Earth
Mars is about half the size of Earth and about one tenth its mass. That makes it a small, relatively light planet, in the grand scheme of things.
But a new study suggests that, as Mars orbits the Sun, it tugs on planet Earth, affecting our own orbit around the Sun and shaping our geological history.
Mars could even be shaping the cycles that drive long-term climate patterns on Earth, including Ice Ages.
Stephen Kane, professor of planetary astrophysics at the University of California Riverside, USA, decided to look at studies showing how Earth’s ancient climate patterns are influenced by gravitational nudges from Mars.