- Researchers have found that volcanic ash and lava caves on Mars may contain signs of past microbial life, as detailed in studies published in September and November.
- The upcoming ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission, set for 2028, will examine the Oxia Planum region, which is estimated to be between 4 and 3.7 billion years old and contains dark rocks that may have protected mineral-rich layers from past life forms.
- This rover will analyze samples using onboard instruments, comparing rock compositions to Earth rocks to identify signs of life. The target site is too jagged for the rover to drive on directly, but it aims to study fallen boulders for evidence.
- Parallel research on Earth's volcanic caves on the Spanish island of Lanzarote reveals that these environments could contain preserved minerals and organic compounds, similar to what might be found in Martian lava tubes. This could shed light on the potential for past microbial life and provide methods for identifying biosignatures.
- Combining efforts from ongoing studies and technology, Mars exploration is progressing towards revealing new insights into the planet's geological and climatic history, potentially answering key questions about the existence of life beyond Earth.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered that ancient volcanic ash and lava caves on Mars could hold the key to understanding whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.
This revelation is based on findings from multiple research fronts, including a study published last month in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (JGR Planets) that identified a new rock type at the future landing site of the European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission.
The study, conducted by Emma Harris, a doctoral student at the Natural History Museum in London, zeroes in on the Oxia Planum region, a site estimated to be between four and 3.7 billion years old. Harris and her team examined data from orbiting satellites, revealing the presence of dark rocks that were likely deposited by a large volcanic eruption from afar. The findings suggest that these rocks may have protected underlying, mineral-rich layers that could potentially preserve signs of past microbial life. (Related: Mars may harbor alien life beneath its surface, study suggests.)
"Although we can't study this rock in person, these rovers will be taking images for closer analyses of the material," Harris said. "It can also use lasers on the rocks so we can get their chemical composition, which we can then compare with rocks on Earth to help work out what it is."
"The ExoMars rover is not allowed to drive on these ancient volcanic rocks at Oxia Planum because it is too jagged, but I'm hoping that a few boulders have fallen off these formations so we can analyze it in more detail and see if the ashfall hypothesis is correct."
The Oxia Planum site is set to be visited by the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, which is scheduled to launch in 2028, following a significant delay caused by the war in Ukraine and subsequent ESA partnerships with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The rover will analyze samples in an onboard laboratory, potentially discovering traces of microbial life from the planet's ancient past.
Separate study looks at lava tubes as analogs for Martian caves
Meanwhile, in a related study, a team of researchers from the University of South Florida (USF), in collaboration with researchers from Portugal, Spain and Italy, explored lava tubes on the Spanish island of Lanzarote. Their investigation, published in Communications Earth & Environment in September, highlights how these volcanic caves could serve as valuable analogs for Martian caves. The findings indicate microbial activity and microorganisms, such as bacteria, were once active in the caves.
"This study adds to our understanding of geological and environmental changes on Earth and highlights lava tubes as potential refuges for microbial life, holding significant implications for astrobiology, particularly in identifying biosignatures on Mars and other celestial bodies," said Bogdan P. Onac, professor at the USF School of Geosciences.
The research in Lanzarote suggests that Martian lava tubes may also contain preserved minerals and organic compounds, similar to those found in the Earth's volcanic caves. This could mean that Mars' lava tubes hold clues to past microbial life, giving insight into the potential habitability of other celestial bodies.
The convergence of these discoveries points to a potential breakthrough in the search for extraterrestrial life. While the 2028 ExoMars mission will explore the implications of the volcanic ash deposits, parallel research into Earth's volcanic cave systems continues to provide critical insights and methodologies for identifying ancient biosignatures on other planets.
As Mars exploration progresses, human understanding of the planet's geological and climatic history becomes increasingly critical. The combination of potential signs of ancient microbial life in Martian lava tubes and the preserved mineral-rich deposits from ancient volcanic eruptions could significantly transform man's vision of the Red Planet's past and, ultimately, humanity's quest to understand the existence of life beyond Earth.
Watch this video about NASA's hidden discoveries on Mars, courtesy of its Curiosity Rover.
This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
China’s Mars rover may have stumbled across a lost ancient ocean on the Red Planet.
Mars may have developed habitable conditions as early as 4.2 billion years ago.
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