Agree, it is difficult to imagine that life was preserved on the dried surface of Mars, but there are much more chances to find it under Martian earth. However, any form of life requires an energy source to exist. For example, we breathe oxygen. But the Martians, it turns out, could well be equally dependent on hydrogen.
A team of scientists led by Lisa Mayhew (CU Boulder) discovered a specific chemical reaction that could occur between iron-containing minerals and water, producing hydrogen. So much hydrogen that it could very well become a platform for sustaining life - both on our planet, and on Mars, and anywhere else.
This chemical reaction occurs between seawater and igneous rocks under the ocean floor. Near hot hydrothermal springs, stones release iron ions into water, and those, in turn, react with water to produce iron oxides and hydrogen.
And although this hydrogen (dissolved in water) is produced in regions too hot for life to flourish (over 200 degrees Celsius), it seeps into colder regions where, according to our data, certain microbes can already live. Mayhew and her colleagues found the first evidence that this reaction can go well even at low temperatures.
“The reactions of water and stones that produce hydrogen, we believe, were one of the earliest sources of energy for life on Earth. However, we still know very little about the possibility of the formation of such hydrogen at a temperature too low for life to survive. If these reactions could produce enough hydrogen at low temperatures, microorganisms could live in rocks, where this reaction would potentially create an excellent environment for living under water. "
Well, a reaction like this, which also proceeds with ease, leads to interesting thoughts about how a primitive life could survive on a very young Earth. And if primitive earthly life could survive in this way, then why not the Martian’s feat? Or show an example.
Could a hydrogen-dependent life be on Mars? Currently, the possibility of this is not excluded. A mechanism like what we described could very well supply a huge amount of energy to the Native Martian microbes. Mayhew and the team found that hydrogen can be produced at temperatures between 50-100 degrees Celsius from a mineral called spinel.
Spinels are quite common on Mars and on Earth (and on the Moon too). On our planet, they are often found along with rubies. Upon closer inspection, the researchers found that spinels are catalysts during the formation of hydrogen at much lower temperatures than previously thought.
The life of modern Martians
Although modern Mars does not suffer from an overabundance of water, it was almost certainly filled with water in the past. The recent discovery of Martian pebbles has produced undeniable evidence that rivers flowed on ancient Mars. However, some believe that there is still water on Mars. They tried to explain the presence of methane in the atmosphere of Mars by other reactions associated with water and stone.
The truth is that Mars is a mysterious small world. We have sent research robots there for decades, but still do not know much. However, now, thanks to the close attention to the red planet of the scientific community of the whole world, we know more than before. We can say that they are well acquainted with the neighbor.
Some astrobiologists are almost certain that if we find life in the solar system, we will find it on Mars. After all, Mars is not much colder than Earth, and there is no scorching heat and acid sky on it, as on other planets.
If Mars hides higher temperature and liquid water below the surface, it is possible that some Martian life is hiding under the earth’s crust of the planet even today. But for now, we can't know for sure - and damn intrigued.
By the way, life can also be on these planets.
The article is based on materials .
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