NASA scientists announced Tuesday that several billion years ago, life as we know could have existed in Mars.
Based on the latest findings from their Mars rover, NASA announced Tuesday that there is a strong possibility that life as we know could have existed on Mars. However, they are yet to find evidence that prove that actual microbes did live on the Red Planet.
"We have found a habitable environment that is so benign and supportive of life that probably if this water was around and you had been on the planet, you would have been able to drink it," said John P Grotzinger, California Institute of Technology geology professor, who is the principal investigator for the NASA mission.
Scientists revealed that the fine-grained mudstone Curiosity rover recovered during the drilling of its first rock, contained convincing evidence that Mars was once gushing with water. Apart from that scientists identified nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, hydrogen and carbon in the rocks, which are key elements of life. Traces of minerals like sulfates and sulfides that primitive microbes could eat for food were also found in the rocks.
According to Dr. Grotzinger, these minerals could provide sources of energy for life and are "effectively like batteries"
The presence of clay on the planet was also discovered. Scientists have been hoping that Curiosity make this discovery during its two-year, $2.5 billion mission. When waters have a neutral pH, clay is said to form
According to an official statement by NASA, scientists will be working with Curiosity in the "Yellowknife Bay" area for many more weeks and will later begin a long drive to Gale Crater's central mound, Mount Sharp. The discovery of clay on the planet may add information about the duration and diversity of habitable conditions, scientists say.
