Is There Life on Mars?

Humanity has long been fascinated with the possibility of life on Mars. The Red Planet is the most similar to the Earth and may help us answer key questions about our solar system, as well as our home planet.

Simply put, learning more about the possible existence of life on Mars is important for several reasons.

It expands our understanding of the universe and helps us learn more about how life has unfolded on Earth. It could also aid us in finding resources from Mars, and even show us if we could potentially inhabit the Red Planet at some point. With that said, let’s look at how likely the possibility of life on Mars is.

Is There Any Life on Mars Now?

At this moment, scientists don’t believe there’s definitive proof that Mars can support life in its current state. From decades of investigation, including the Perseverance Rover which landed on Mars in 2021, they’ve accumulated a large amount of information gained from imagery and soil and rock samples.

From this data, scientists have made some interesting findings. For instance, they’ve discovered evidence that Mars once had liquid water in ancient lakebeds and river deltas. They’ve also found that it contains organic molecules, which are the building blocks of life.

However, they can’t say that this proves there is currently life as we know it in the extraterrestrial form. Further, the planet’s atmosphere is too thin and its environment is too hostile to support life.

Is There Evidence of Life Forms on Mars?

Scientists say there’s no conclusive evidence that life ever existed on Mars at any point in history. That said, certain findings indicate that Mars may have been habitable for microorganisms at one time.

There’s evidence of liquid water existing in the past. This differs from the water that exists on the planet today, which is in a frozen form because of the extreme cold. Not only does it remain too cold for water to become liquid on the planet’s surface, but the atmosphere is so thin, it causes causes solids to evaporate before turning liquid.

It’s thought that, at one point in time, there was significant liquid water activity on Mars, with rivers, lakes, and maybe even oceans. Because water is a vital ingredient for life, scientists believe that it may have been habitable for microorganisms in the past. This means that microbes like bacteria that are too small to be seen by the naked eye could have existed. Ultimately, though, experts aren’t able to conclude that extraterrestrial life has ever existed on the planet.

Was There Ever Life on Mars?

Past missions have found possible evidence of ancient life on Mars. A good example comes from the Curiosity Rover’s exploration of Mars in 2012. During that mission, the rover explored Mars’ Gale Crater, which spans roughly 96 miles in diameter and contains the essential components needed for life, including evidence of water and organic compounds such as boron.

Many scientists believe the Gale Crater provided the conditions necessary to sustain microbial life, especially in its earlier history. Though this doesn’t mean lifeforms were inhabiting Mars, it does mean that life, at least on the microbial level, could have existed previously.

What Happened to The Life on Mars?

Several factors make Mars uninhabitable. It has a climate with extreme temperature swings — and an overall average temperature of -85 degrees F — and toxic soil that makes it extremely difficult to grow plants and is harmful to human health.

Besides that, it has a very thin atmosphere that’s over 100 times thinner than the Earth’s. However, Mars’s atmosphere didn’t always used to be as thin as it currently is. The thinning of the atmosphere has occurred over time and is largely due to solar wind and radiation. As NASA explains, “Solar wind and radiation are responsible for stripping the Martian atmosphere, transforming Mars from a planet that could have supported life billions of years ago into a frigid desert world.” Because of the gradual loss of the atmosphere, Mars has become barren and inhospitable.

Without a solid atmosphere like the Earth’s, there’s minimal protection from harmful radiation. In turn, this leads to rapid heat loss, which accounts for the brutally cold climate. It also creates a lack of breathable air, resulting in an environment that’s not conducive to life.

Will Humans Ever Live on Mars?

In its current state, Mars is uninhabitable to humans. However, terraforming the planet, which involves modifying Mars to make it habitable, may be possible in the future. Some examples of methods that could potentially be used to accomplish this include introducing greenhouse gases to help thicken the atmosphere, melting water ice caps to release water vapor, and developing plants that are genetically engineered to withstand the planet’s harsh environment.

Admittedly, most scientists say terraforming is a long way from becoming a reality, and major advances in technology would have to be made, including a manned mission to Mars. But it’s a concept that’s being explored and something that future generations could potentially achieve.

The Challenges of Sending Humans to Mars

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in and strides to send humans to Mars. In fact, NASA has been working diligently to develop advanced technologies that could potentially send astronauts to the planet by as soon as the 2030s.

That’s a generous estimate, and the process would be incredibly challenging due to issues like the atmosphere, climate, soil, radiation, and lack of water. It would also involve a staggering one billion mile plus round trip, which NASA estimates would take around two to three years to complete. But all of the core needs to sustain astronauts like oxygen, food, water, shelter, power, and spacesuits are being developed that could make this feat a possibility. There’s also a significant amount of funding being spent on Mars exploration, with NASA alone spending more than $21 billion since 1964.

Though scientists have learned a lot about Mars over the years, there’s still so much to discover. New findings are continually being discovered, contributing to an ever-growing body of information. To be an informed citizen, it’s important to stay up-to-date about what scientists, agencies like NASA, and all curious minds continue to learn about Mars.