Is there life on Mars? New NASA research sheds light on secrets hidden beneath Mars’ ice

A recent study by NASA suggests that extraterrestrial life could be hiding beneath the thick layers of ice on Mars. The ice probably formed from falling snow mixed with dust. When the dust absorbs sunlight, it warms the area beneath the ice, which must have created small pools of molten water beneath the surface. These hidden, warm, humid places can provide safe spaces for tiny organisms to live. For a detailed study, the team used advanced computer models to understand how sunlight could reach these pools and how tiny life forms use that light to produce energy.

About the new discovery, Aditya Khuller, a postdoctoral researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told Space.com: “Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a protective ozone shield, so there are 30 % more harmful ultraviolet radiation on the surface compared to our planet. planet. So on Mars, areas where photosynthesis could occur are more likely to be in dusty ice, because the overlying dusty ice blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation on the surface of Mars, and liquid water is very unstable on the surface of Mars due to its dry atmosphere. .”

Khuller and his team used computer models to show that ice on Mars can melt from the inside. The ice at the top helps prevent this melted water from disappearing into the dry air of Mars.

The scientist added that two elements important for photosynthesis, sunlight and water, can both exist under this dusty ice found in the central regions of Mars. Other studies have also shown that when a small amount of dust is mixed with Mars’ thick snow, it can cause melting beneath the surface, even today. This means there could be pools of liquid water hidden under the ice.

He was surprised to learn that similar living conditions might exist in icy areas of Earth, particularly in places known as “cryoconite holes.” According to Khuller, these holes form when “dust and sediment on top of the ice melts into the ice because it is darker than the ice.”

In summer, sunlight warms the dark dust, which creates liquid around it, even though the ice above is still frozen, acting as a lid. Because ice allows some sunlight to pass through, warming can occur below the surface.

Aditya Khuller added: “We are not saying that we have found life on Mars, but rather we believe that dusty exposures of Martian ice in mid-latitudes represent the most easily accessible places to search for Martian life today. I’m working with a team of scientists to develop improved simulations to determine if, where, and when dusty ice might melt on Mars today. Additionally, we are recreating some of these dusty ice scenarios in the laboratory to examine them in more detail.

Although more research is still needed, Khuller and his team have currently identified specific areas on Mars where extraterrestrial life is most likely to exist across its vast surface.