For centuries people have speculated about the possibility of life on Mars. According to recent research, the age-old riddle may soon be answered. An exciting discovery, made by a team at the University of Michigan, shows that water – crucial for life to form – can exist on the surface of the red planet, despite its very cold climate.
But why all this fuss about the red planet? Our curiosity is probably due to the planet’s proximity and similarity to Earth. Although there has been much speculation, to date there isno proof of life ever existing on Mars. On January 24 this year the American space organization NASA reported that current studies on the planet Mars by the discovery vehicles Curiosity and Opportunity will now be searching for evidence of ancient life, including a biosphere based on microorganisms, as well as ancient water. Even with the largest telescopes it is very hard to see much detail on Mars. In the late 1800s, some scientists thought they could see straight lines crossing the planet’s surface.
Maybe not really what we will find on Mars
The Michigan researchers, lead by Dr Renno, have only yet proven in a laboratory here on Earth that water could exist on Mars. This summer, however, Curiosity could confirm their experiments for real when it detected certain salts that are necessary for water to be liquid in freezing temperatures. Dr Renno said in an interview with the Independent:
-Even just a tiny droplet of water is enough for bacteria to grab hold of and survive. For hundreds of years, mankind was only able to gaze up into space and fantasizing, but now we are truly getting close to know if we are alone, or if we have at least a few teeny-tiny neighbours.
By Anton