Tiny salt crevices could act as miniature 'Greenhouses' for Martian microbes
Researchers have proposed that salt crevices on Mars could act as miniature greenhouses, protecting microbes from the planet's harsh environment. By trapping moisture through deliquescence and providing thermal insulation, these salt crystals might allow life to survive the extreme temperature swings on the Martian surface.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a new, plausible mechanism for how life could exist on Mars, significantly narrowing the search parameters for future astrobiology missions.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Image from HiRISE of some salts visible on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona We've been searching for life on Mars for a long time, but so far we've come up empty. The fundamental problem is a Catch-22 involving two of the key ingredients for life. Life as we know it needs liquid water and reasonable temperatures, both of which are available on Mars, but hardly ever at the same time. But a new paper from lead author Anna Bognar and her team at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University and the Konkoly Observatory describes a way for life to access both requirements at the same time—by hiding away in salt crystals.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in