Recent research on Mars has found that the red planet was once covered in a massive ocean. With water comes life, so NASA researchers are now focusing on where to search for signs of life on the planet. According to the article: "even when Mars was supposedly wet, the planet likely didn't have a very thick atmosphere. Many scientists therefore think that if life as we know it evolved on Mars, the best places to look for it would be where liquid water would have been protected from extreme temperature changes and damaging ultraviolet radiation from the sun". In order to find traces of life on the planet, scientists have to look in the subsurface, an area that is protected from these hazards. However, scientists don't want people to get too excited. The fossils would most likely be microscopic bacterium, not fully fledged organisms. The fossils that are found will most likely be chemical compounds that can be traced back to biological roots, not bones or skulls. However, one can always hope.
For the full article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101103-science-space-mars-water-life-fossils-oceans/
Great topic. Lots of interest in the possibility that life once existed on Mars. I LOVE your graphic! Very cool set of images.
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