There are suitable conditions for microbial life under the surface of Mars

A study published in the journal Astrobiology examines the chemical composition of Martian meteorites—

rocks detached from the surfaceMars, which eventually landed on Earth. The analysis showed that these rocks, if they are constantly in contact with water, will produce chemical energy. It is necessary to support microbial communities like those that survive in the dark depths of the Earth. Because these meteorites may be representative of large swaths of the Martian crust, the findings suggest that much of Mars' interior may be habitable.

In recent decades, scientists have discoveredthat in the bowels of the Earth there lives a vast biome that exists separately from the world above. Even without sunlight, these creatures survive by using the byproducts of chemical reactions that occur when rocks come into contact with water.

One of these reactions is radiolysis.which occurs when radioactive elements in rocks react with water trapped in pores and cracks. The reaction breaks down water molecules into their constituent elements, hydrogen and oxygen. The released hydrogen dissolves in the remaining groundwater while minerals such as pyrite (fool's gold) absorb free oxygen, forming sulfate minerals. Bacteria can consume dissolved hydrogen as fuel and use the oxygen stored in the sulfates to “burn” it.

Such "sulfate-reducing" microbes are found inplaces such as the Canadian Kidd Creek mine. There they live 1,500 meters underground and have not been born for over a billion years. Scientists have sought to better understand these underground systems with an eye to finding similar habitats on Mars and elsewhere in the solar system. The project, called Earth 4D: Subsurface Science and Exploration, is supported by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Study.

Scientists used data from NASA's Curiosity rover and other orbiting spacecraft, as well as data on the composition of Martian meteorites representing various parts of the planet's crust.

Scientists were looking for ingredients for radiolysis:radioactive elements—such as thorium, uranium and potassium; sulfide minerals, which can be converted to sulfates; and stone blocks with sufficient porous space to trap water. The study found that in several different types of Martian meteorites, all the ingredients were present in sufficient quantities to support Earthly habitats. This is especially true for regolith breccias—meteorites mined from crustal rocks more than 3.6 billion years old. They have the greatest potential to support life. Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a plate tectonics system that constantly recycles crustal rocks. Thus, these ancient landscapes remain largely intact.

The findings help substantiate an exploration program that looks for signs of modern life in the bowels of Mars.

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