Space

Could Life Exist in the Ice and Volcanoes on Mars?

They are harboring many lifeforms on Earth; why not on Mars?

By Lucian Dorneanu, Science Editor

6th of June 2007, 12:59 GMT

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Polar ice caps are among the prominent surface features of Mars

There are many strange formations on Mars whose images sparked the imaginations of many people around the world and many have come with theories until the official scientific explanations. Among them is an image of a spooky anomaly, first observed in 1976 by Viking, called the Mars Face, or pictures of "dust-devils" mini tornadoes that spin on the Martian surface with no obvious tornado clouds to generate them.

The most popular planet in space for human exploration, Mars represented the hope for extraterrestrial life for quite some time, at least until the recent missions, in which space probes landed on the surface and found no little green men.

But can astronomers really say for sure: "There is no life on Mars!"? We have only begun to explore the surface of the red planet and the most advanced probes of the near future are planning to stick needle-like instruments a few inches below the surface, to find out what's down there.

It's like sticking a finger into an ocean and declaring it's deserted. Now, I'm not saying aliens are lurking in the unexplored regions of Mars, but some of the features on the planet could, in theory, harbor lifeforms.

On Earth, the four gases-water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and molecular oxygen-refer to a link for life presence and habitable conditions. Methane on Mars relates to volcanoes or some form of life, but strong chemical reactions quickly will destroy methane on the Martian surface. So, if methane is found today on Mars it would mean it has been replenished for some reason with active biology. Guess what? Methane has been found on Mars, by the European orbiter, Mars Express.

Underwater volcanoes on Earth are full of life, mostly anaerobe bacteria. You'll say: "Yeah, but there are no oceans on Mars." True, but there is ice. And, again, guess what? Algae and bacteria and small invertebrates have been found in ice layers around Earth's poles.

To conclude, life is more resilient than we thought and it might just surprise us, be it on Mars or on another planet, beyond our solar system.

TAGS:

ice | volcanoes | Mars | Earth | life

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