Why couldn’t there be extraterrestrial life on Mars?

Surely there may be organisms that have been able to adapt to the absence of oxygen and water? (I don’t think the bacteria that causes smelly feet need oxygen either.)

Asker: isana, 12 years old

Answer

Dear Isana,

It is possible that there is extraterrestrial life on Mars. Scientists are still unsure whether or not life is possible on Mars. You are right that there are organisms that survive without oxygen and water. By the way, there is water on Mars in the form of ice. ESA, the European Space Agency, is building a satellite to look for life on Mars. That satellite will investigate whether there has been life, whether there is still life on Mars and what that life looks like. It certainly won’t be Martians, but there could be bacteria or other microorganisms. The satellite is expected to leave in 2016. So with a bit of luck we will know within a few years whether there is life on Mars or not.

Answered by

Dr Sofie Delanoye

comets-volcanoes-chemistry-infrared spectroscopy

Why couldn’t there be extraterrestrial life on Mars?

Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy
Ringlaan 3 1180 Brussels
http://www.aeronomy.be/

.

Recent Articles

Related Stories