NASA Study Led By ASU Alum Suggests Life Possibilities Below Mars Ice?

The possibility of life on Mars has always fascinated scientists and there have been ongoing efforts to find if there is any chance due planet's similarities and proximity to the Earth.

Study in US: Arizona State University alumnus has led a study which suggests that there might be microbes present beneath the frozen water of Mars.

While scientists are working towards finding evidence of life on Mars, a new NASA study led by the Arizona State University alumnus has proposed that there is a possibility of microbes beneath the frozen water on the surface of Mars. The researchers have shown through computer modelling that the amount of sunlight that shines through Mars' ice surface is enough for the process of photosynthesis. On Earth, similar situations have the presence of life including microscopic cyanobacteria, fungi, and algae. All these derive energy from photosynthesis.

The lead author, an AUS alumnus, Aditya Khuller said, “If we’re trying to find life anywhere in the universe today, Martian ice exposures are probably one of the most accessible places we should be looking."

Aditya completed his PhD in geological sciences in 2023 from Arizona State University. At NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, he is a postdoctoral researcher.

Mars' Surface: More Details

The planet has two kinds of ice - frozen carbon dioxide and frozen water. The researchers mostly focused on the water ice which was solidified into ice from ancient snow during the Martian ice ages. The scientists who are studying Mars's surfaces are divided about whether the ice can melt on the planet's surface when exposed to the Martian surface.

Co-author Phil Christensen, professor at Arizona State University’s School of Earth and Space Exploration spoke about the ice melting from within and said, “This is a common phenomenon on Earth. Dense snow and ice can melt from the inside out, letting in sunlight that warms it like a greenhouse, rather than melting from the top down.”

ASU's Nelson Fine Arts Center Attracts Attention

The Center is attracting attention for its art collections and quality performances. The university's Facebook handle says, "Did you know? ASU's Nelson Fine Arts Center attracts attention not only for its unique beauty but also for the breadth of quality performances and art collections found at the centre. The J. Russell and Bonita Nelson Fine Arts Center is home to the ASU Art Museum and the Paul V. Galvin Playhouse, plus theatre and dance studios and a scenic and costume shop. The facility is located on ASU’s Tempe campus with three floors of year-round exhibitions that rotate seasonally and the award-winning museum store."

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