Scientists identify key Mars region in search for life

The location for searching traces of life on Mars has finally been pinpointed: scientists believe tracking methane gas is key. Acidalia Planitia, a vast plain in Mars' northern hemisphere, is considered the most promising area for the search for life.

The presence of methane on Mars has puzzled scientists for years. While surface rovers have detected seasonal fluctuations in methane levels, orbiting satellites have not found strong traces of the molecule.

This offers an intriguing, though unproven, hint that life could exist under certain conditions.

However, Mars is generally not a habitable place. Surface temperatures are usually far below freezing, the atmosphere is incredibly thin, and the planet is constantly exposed to cosmic and solar radiation.

Although ancient Mars may have had oceans and a warmer climate, the likelihood of finding living organisms on or near its surface today remains low.

RESEARCH INSPIRED BY EARTH

Scientists are examining similar living environments on Earth to assess the possibility of life on Mars.

Life on Earth exists in nearly every corner, from the upper layers of the atmosphere to deep beneath the Earth's crust.

In particular, single-celled organisms called "methanogens," which feed on hydrogen and produce methane as a waste product, are considered strong candidates for potential life on Mars.

A new study published in the journal Astrobiology explored Earth's Mars-like environments.

Some of these environments include:

• Microscopic fractures in the Earth's crust.
• Lakes beneath ice sheets.
• Deep-sea basins with low oxygen and extremely salty conditions.

Researchers carefully analyzed the characteristics of methanogens living in these environments and identified those most similar to conditions on Mars.

THE MOST PROMISING LOCATION FOR LIFE

Scientists have been mapping areas on Mars where liquid water might exist, the key for methanogens to survive.

According to the findings, Acidalia Planitia, a large plain in Mars' northern hemisphere, is the most promising region for the search for life.

However, it is believed that liquid water could be found only between 4.3 and 8.8 kilometers below the surface.

Researchers suggest that the temperature, salinity, pH, and hydrogen levels at these depths may be compatible with the living conditions of Earth's methanogens.

These findings suggest that deep drilling on Mars is necessary to search for life.

More research and new technologies are required to definitively determine whether life exists on Mars. However, deep excavations in areas like Acidalia Planitia could uncover the secrets of life on the Red Planet.