LIFE on Mars

Recent discoveries on Mars, including the identification of mud formations by a rover mission, suggest that the planet experienced wet-dry cycles conducive to the potential emergence of life, according to a study published in Nature. The lead researcher, William Rapin, noted that these cycles may have facilitated the formation of complex organic molecules, similar to processes observed on Earth. Meanwhile, a study from Caltech has mapped habitable zones beneath Martian ice, indicating that microbial life may survive by utilizing localized pockets of meltwater. Additionally, a book titled 'A City on Mars' critically evaluates the feasibility of human colonization of the planet, winning the Royal Society Trivedi science book prize. This follows historical concerns about NASA's Viking missions possibly having extinguished Martian life due to misinterpretation of soil samples. Together, these findings underscore the ongoing debate about Mars's potential for life and human habitation.