Possibilities of Life on Mars Found by NASA!

Possibilities of Life on Mars Found by NASA!

In this article, you will learn about the possibilities of life on Mars as discovered by NASA in several decades. Mars is our second-nearest neighboring planet after Venus. Mars looks like a red ball when you see it at night with your eyes. This is smaller and colder than our Earth. Scientists have predicted that Mars once had rivers and lakes. Thus, it is possible that life was present in it! You will be shocked to know that scientists from different space organizations predicted that Mars was once a planet similar to our Earth. It had trees, water, air, and living organisms like the Earth! To know more about its mysteries, space agencies launched many space missions to Mars to study it. Some of them were Mars Mission 3 by the Soviet Union, the Mars Exploration Mission by NASA, Mission Mangal by ISRO, etc. Today you will learn about the atmosphere, surface, and evolution of Mars and the possibilities of life on Mars with proven evidence.



Possibilities of Life on Mars Found by NASA


Contents:

Some scientists say life may still exist under the surface of Mars. Some believe that life never existed on Mars and that life reached there through missions sent by humans. There are many more possibilities of life on Mars, which makes scientists more curious to study it. In such a situation, come with us on an exciting journey to Mars, where we will learn about some possibilities for the existence of life on Mars. 

When we talk about any kind of life on Mars, we do not talk about any kind of organism or complex life but about microbes and single-celled life. Even though these microorganisms are nothing compared to the life present on Earth, if we discover single-celled life on any other planet beyond the Earth, then it will be considered a very revolutionary discovery. Which would mean that we Earthlings are not that special, and life is a common thing in this vast universe, which can flourish in any corner of the universe under the right conditions.
 
In the beginning, all the geological and chemical processes that took place on Mars took place inorganically, and none of the processes were related to organic life. And then, about 3 billion years ago, the atmosphere of Mars ended, due to which the water present in liquid form on this planet dried up and Mars became dry and uninhabitable like it is today. If seen from this perspective, all the positive results related to organic life on Mars were related to inorganic and geothermal processes. Most scientists express the possibility of no life of any kind on Mars. And until no concrete evidence of prehistoric life or present life is found on Mars, it will be considered a default hypothesis.


Possibilities of Life on Mars Found by NASA
Credit: Canva Elements Image


Evidences of Life on Mars

1. It was found by the Viking landers sent to Mars in 1976. With the help of Viking landers, three different biological experiments were conducted on Mars. Out of which two results came negative, only one result came positive. This was the first experiment done by scientists on the surface of Mars.
 
2. Came to planet Earth from the distant sky in the form of a Martian meteorite (Allan Hills 84001). This meteorite was found by scientists from Antarctica on December 27, 1984. When this meteorite was studied closely, scientists came to know that it was formed on Mars about 4 billion years ago and crashed on Earth about 13 thousand years ago. Scientists found some remains of organic life fossils in this meteorite, which was the major evidence for the discovery of life on Mars.
 

3. It was found by NASA's Curiosity Rover, currently present on Mars. During the end of the winter season on Mars, Curiosity detected methane emissions from some specific underground locations. Normally, methane emission occurs due to inorganic and geothermal processes, but this methane emission can also occur on Mars due to biological processes. In such a situation, scientists who are exploring the possibilities of life on Mars are linking it to organic life.
 
4. About 3.5 billion years ago, the conditions on Mars and Earth were almost similar. Both planets were rich in liquid water, where a stable atmosphere and ecosystem existed. Due to these circumstances, life started on our planet Earth only a few hundred million years ago. In such a situation, scientists believe that during this period, some kind of life must have flourished on Mars as well.
 
5. But only a few million years after the beginning of life on Mars, its atmosphere ended, due to which the dangerous ultraviolet rays coming from the sun were now directly reaching its surface. With the end of the atmosphere, the oceans of liquid water present here dried up, and ultimately, life on Mars came to an end.
 

Hidden Life on Mars!

In the beginning, all the geological and chemical processes that took place on Mars took place inorganically, and none of the processes were related to organic lifeAnd then, about 3 billion years ago, the atmosphere of Mars ended, due to which the water present in liquid form on this planet dried up and Mars became dry and uninhabitable like it is today. If seen from this perspective, all the positive results related to organic life on Mars were related to inorganic and geothermal processes. Most scientists express the possibility of no life of any kind on Mars. And until no concrete evidence of prehistoric life or present life is found on Mars, it will be considered a default hypothesis.

Around 3.5 billion years ago, the conditions on Mars and Earth were almost similar. Both planets were rich in liquid water, where a stable atmosphere and ecosystem developed. Due to these conditions, life started on our planet Earth only a few hundred million years ago. In such a situation, scientists believe that during this period, some kind of life must have flourished on Mars as well. 

Whereas within a few million years after the birth of life on Mars, the planet's atmosphere vanished, allowing deadly UV rays from the sun to reach its surface directly. With the loss of the atmosphere, the oceans of liquid water on Mars dried up, and life on Mars came to an end. If life had lived on Mars, some of its evidence would undoubtedly be present under the surface of Mars in the form of fossils even now. We can find proof of prehistoric life on Mars in the form of fossils if we drill deeply enough into the Martian surface.


After the discovery of methane emissions by the Curiosity Rover, scientists are sure about the existence of life on Mars. Those who believe in this hypothesis say that when the atmosphere of Mars ended, some microorganisms went under the surface of Mars, where the conditions were favorable for them. Here, not only were they protected from the sun's ultraviolet rays, but they also found a stable temperature and occasionally flowing liquid water. In such a situation, these microbes became active again, and they started their biological function under the Martian surface. If there is some truth in this hypothesis, then life on Mars can still exist under its surface, which is similar to our Martians present on Mars. Located only a few feet below the Rovers.


Possibilities of Life on Mars Found by NASA
Evolution & End of Life on Mars!


How Life was Formed on Mars?

Around 65 million years ago, a giant asteroid of some kilometers long collided with our planet Earth, which we know as the Cretaceous extinction. This collision was so terrible that the entire atmosphere of the Earth was covered with dust and debris for many years, which caused the extinction of the giant dinosaurs. Due to this powerful collision, many small pieces from the Earth's surface reached space, where life-rich organic molecules and some organisms were also present. There is a possibility that these pieces that went into space might have reached many other planets, and some of these pieces might have gone to Mars as well. 

In such a situation, there is a great possibility that, along with the pieces of Earth that went to Mars, organic molecules and some microorganisms necessary for life might also have gone. If these microorganisms had reached Mars alive, then, under the right circumstances, they would have learned to survive on Mars. Whether these creatures from Earth could survive on Mars or not will be known only when we study the Martian surface and subsurface more closely. 

Even though Mars has been deserted and barren for the last several billion years, when the Space Age started, we started sending our landers and rovers to Mars. Then, with these spaceships, life would also have reached Mars from our planet Earth. Space missions are first completely decontaminated so that no microorganisms are present in the body of the spacecraft. This is done so that any kind of life already present there is not harmed and can be preserved. 

It is also possible that life was present on Mars thousands of years ago and that the whole planet was changed because of some natural changes. Some researchers also say that there was a civilization that was much more developed than us, and they destroyed their planet by wars, bombs, and space wars with other extraterrestrials.
 

Summary and FAQ

All these evidences and theories prove that there was life present on Mars once or yet! NASA and other space agencies are launching their spacecraft that will land on the surface of Mars and research its land and elements on the surface by collecting a sample of the land. Scientists are continuously researching it, and after some years, there will be many space missions in which we will send astronauts to Mars to build a research base on it. We will update you on new information as we get it. I hope you liked this article. Here are some questions that could arise in your mind:
 

Is there life on Mars?

There is much evidence that proves that once life existed on Mars.

Can humans survive life on Mars?

No, as the atmosphere of Mars is not 100% suitable for humans to survive on Mars.

Does Mars have oxygen?

Oxygen is present in a very low amount in the atmosphere of Mars.

Is Mars hot or cold?

Mars is a colder planet as compared to Earth.

Why is Mars red?

The surface of Mars has iron oxide and rust on it; that's why it looks red.