Life on Mars? Thick clay layers on red planet might hold the answer

Life on Mars? Thick clay layers on red planet might hold the answer

The possibility of life on Mars is something scientists and astronomers have been trying to figure out for decades. With rapid advancements in science in the last century, scientists have stumbled across various clues as to how and where life could be hidden on the red planet. While meteorites, liquid water and water ice at […]

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Space news weekly recap: NASA’s UFO team, Martian bacteria and more

Space news weekly recap: NASA’s UFO team, Martian bacteria and more

The word “space” may conjure up images of planets, stars and other heavenly bodies that are light-years away from us, but that is because we forget that “space” is just 100 kilometres above us at any given time. And things that happen in space can sometimes have a profound impact on life on Earth. For example, a NASA […]

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Ancient bacteria could still be beneath Martian surface

Ancient bacteria could still be beneath Martian surface

In a new study that simulated the harsh ionising radiation on Mars, researchers found that ancient bacteria could survive close to the surface of the red planet much longer than previously assumed. This means that scientists should be on the lookout for ancient bacteria and bacteria remains when the first samples from Mars come back […]

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Underground microbes may have swarmed ancient Mars

Underground microbes may have swarmed ancient Mars

Ancient Mars may have had an environment capable of harboring an underground world teeming with microscopic organisms, French scientists reported Monday. But if they existed, these simple life forms would have altered the atmosphere so profoundly that they triggered a Martian Ice Age and snuffed themselves out, the researchers concluded. The findings provide a bleak […]

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‘Enchanted Lake’ on Mars: Why it is the best spot to look for signs of life

‘Enchanted Lake’ on Mars: Why it is the best spot to look for signs of life

NASA has shared images of the “Enchanted Lake” on Mars, where scientists believe that the Perseverance rover could find the first evidence of extraterrestrial life. The Enchanted Lake is a rocky outcrop, informally named after a landmark in an Alaskan National Park. The image was captured by the rover’s Hazard Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams) on April […]

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Scientists using Curiosity rover data to measure key life ingredient on Mars

Scientists using Curiosity rover data to measure key life ingredient on Mars

Scientists are using data from NASA’s Curiosity rover to measure the total organic carbon in Martian rocks for the first time. Organic carbon is a key component in life molecules. There is evidence that the red planet’s climate was similar to Earth billions of years ago, with a thicker atmosphere and liquid water that flowed […]

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NASA and ESA create 16-member Mars Sample Return Campaign Science group

NASA and ESA create 16-member Mars Sample Return Campaign Science group

NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have established a new group of researchers in a bid to maximise the scientific potential of Mars rock and sediment samples that would be returned to earth for in-depth analysis. The team of 16 researchers will be called the ‘Mars Sample Return Campaign Science Group’ and will function […]

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Examination of meteorite from Mars reveals limited water exposure

Examination of meteorite from Mars reveals limited water exposure

A team of researchers has reportedly investigated a meteorite from Mars using neutron and X-ray tomography, revealing that the meteorite had limited exposure to water, which according to the scientists makes the chances of life existing at that specific time and place unlikely. This technology will also likely be used by NASA when they examine […]

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Digging Deep: Mars could have had liquid oceans two billion years ago

Digging Deep: Mars could have had liquid oceans two billion years ago

We observe ancient shorelines, indicating the presence of a large standing body of liquid water, but little to no erosional activity in the form of rivers/valleys. We observe rock deposits from tsunamis that occurred in the past; but tsunamis would not have been possible had the ocean been completely frozen. This paradox has been under […]

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