The surface of Mars is arid, but inside the caves there could be living organisms.
Mars is on everyone’s lips again. NASA has increased its interest in the Red Planet after the Perseverance rover has explored a part of the Martian surface. In fact, the space agency has already simulated how many people it would take to organize a colony there. Now this same body asks where can they find any living being in this place.
The question of whether Mars had or still has life is a big unknown.. Recently it has been known that the planet had a climate very similar to that of Earth with a climate that alternated dry and wet seasons. What’s more, the rover sent there is recognizing what was an old dried up lake.
Life on Mars could be sheltered in caves
The Martian surface is an arid place, devoid of anything resembling a living being, However, that does not mean that they could not have existed or that they still exist.. It is clear that, in the upper layers, on the crust, there is nothing to indicate so. The reason is that since it lacks an atmosphere, cosmic radiation hits the surface, killing any organism.
However, this is very different inside, and we refer to the caves that are scattered throughout the planet. as you have collected iflscienceif there is still life on Mars, it is most likely that it is underground. This conclusion has been reached after a comparative study made with extreme conditions that exist on Earth.
How a comparative study? Well, although it sounds like a scholarly term, the truth is that it is easy to understand. Experts have searched for, and found, living organisms in areas of Earth that are thought to be very similar to Martian conditions. Specifically in the lava tubes created in the eruptions. Small organisms adapted to darkness and other things have been found here.
As promised, here’s the new Image of the Week, as voted for you! This rocky duo was spotted hanging out together in a wind-swept area. I spy a…crab claw? Shark fin? Comment below with what you see!
📸 See more Images of the Week: pic.twitter.com/2K9u0t8zqv
— NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) August 21, 2023
In addition to this, there is another reason that leads one to think that there could be life inside the caves of Mars: cosmic radiation is much less inside them than outside. Specifically, it would be 2% of the levels that are outside. Levels that would allow organisms to survive.
At the moment little more can be said, as they point out in the cited article, hopefully not many decades so that this path can be explored and finally we arrive at precise results in order to answer the question whether or not there is life on Mars.