Iron-rich rocks near lake sites on Mars may contain fossils of microorganisms: Research

Scientists say iron-rich rocks in the vicinity of ancient lake sites on Mars could possibly have clues, including fossils, that show Martian life once might existed on the Red Planet when it was warmer and wetter billions of years ago.

An international team of scientists, whose research paper published in the journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, determined that the sedimentary rocks in the form of compacted mud or clay, which are rich in iron and a mineral called silica, most likely contain fossils of a once vibrant planet.

The fossil-friendly rocks, according to authors of the research, could possibly preserve traces or remains of alien microbes on a planet that it is thought might have supported primitive life forms between three to four billion years ago, when the planet’s surface was abundant in water, capable of supporting Martian life.

The team reviewed studies of fossils on our planet and evaluated the results of lab experiments replicating Martian conditions to identify the most promising sites on the planet to hunt for traces of ancient life.

“There are many interesting rock and mineral outcrops on Mars where we would like to search for fossils, but since we can’t send rovers to all of them we have tried to prioritize the most promising deposits based on the best available information,” said Sean McMahon, the lead author of the study from the Yale University.

PressTV-Colossal water ice reserves found on Mars

Steep slopes on Mars have revealed huge structures of buried ice in the Martian mid-latitudes.

Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, is now a cold, dry and barren world and its surface is continuously exposed to biologically harmful radiation, yet it is the closest candidate that is expected to somehow harbor life and become humans’ next destination for a rainy day.

Back in September 2015, NASA announced that it had found flowing liquid water on its surface, boosting, more than ever, the potential for existence of a more life-loving environment on the planet.

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