NASA’s Curiosity rover discovers evidence for life on Mars
- NASA uncovered well-preserved ancient mud cracks on Mars
- The pattern reveals evidence of wet-dry cycles: Nature
- 'Wet-dry cycles are helpful for evolution that could lead to life': Author
FILE PHOTO: NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is seen in a “selfie” that it took over a rock nicknamed “Rochette”, September 10, 2021. NASA/JPL-CALTECH/MSSS/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT/File Photo
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(NewsNation) — NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover uncovered a patchwork of well-preserved ancient mud cracks on Mars, signaling the potential for microbial life.
A new paper published by Nature details how the pattern of the mud cracks provides the first evidence of wet-dry cycles occurring on early Mars.
“Persistent cycles of wet and dry conditions on land helped assemble the complex chemical building blocks necessary for microbial life,” according to NASA.
The paper’s lead author, William Rapin of France’s Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, said the particular mud cracks form when wet-dry conditions occur repeatedly, perhaps seasonally.
“This is the first tangible evidence we’ve seen that the ancient climate of Mars had such regular, Earth-like wet-dry cycles,” Rapin said. “But even more important is that wet-dry cycles are helpful — maybe even required –– for the molecular evolution that could lead to life.”
