Could Mars Sustain Life in the Future

In my project I talked about the possibilities of life on the planet Mars. I researched some background information on this, such as what life needs to survive, the past and future of the planet and much more.
Rishitha Shivamurthy
Grade 8

Problem

Is life possible on Mars?

Method

I first researched the needs for life. Then I researched the history of Mars such as climate change and/or temperature events. Then I went to find out the different expeditions that were sent to Mars and what inforrmation they found, also I included how this can help us. I also added a paragraph or so about what scientists or NASA thinks about this topic/or possibilities. Then I talked about the environmental changes that might happen or have already happened on the surface of the planet. Before I concluded my project, I talked about the human explorations that astronauts and space companies have planned, and what they need to make it possible.

Research

1. What does life need to survive:

  • Liquid Water - essential for all life
  • Carbon
  • Hydrogen
  • Oxygen
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
  • Energy ( either in light form or chemical ) - fuels the metabolic system that helps life reproduce
  • Suitable environment with moderate temperature, protective atmosphere,strong magnetic force,and internal heat source.

2. History of Mars:

There is no evidence of past life forms there, but there has been researches that prove that Mars we once a habitable planet. Though NASA’s Opportunity rover has evidence that the martian planet once was “ drenched” in water, which might mean that it had living organisms somewhere. “Mars is wobbling between 15 to 35 degrees’ obliquity, on a time scale of 100,000 years. Every million years or so, it leans over as much as 60 degrees. With these changes in obliquity, come the changes in climate and atmosphere.”says NASA scientists.  It could possibly warm up it’s atmosphere to be about as thick as Earth’s.Research says that there once was an ocean on Mars but it all dried because of its harsh and dry atmosphere. 

3. Explorations to Mars

Some of the rovers that were sent to Mars include:

  • Sojourner - Launched on December 4, 1996, Landed on July 4, 1997, and no info on when it returned
  • Spirit- Launched on June 10, 2003, Landed on January 4 2004, Mission end on May 25, 2011
  • Opportunity - Launched on July 8, 2003, Landed on January 25, 2004, Mission end on February 13, 2019
  • Curiosity - Launched on November 26, 2011, landed on August 26, 2012, no info on when it returned
  • Perseverance - launched on July 30, 2020, landed on February 18 , 2021, and has not yet returned.
  • Sojourner: This rover( about the size of a microwave oven) landed near Ares Vallis where it spent all of its time exploring. Its photos proved information we knew from a long time, that Mars was a wetter and warmer place.
  • Spirit: the twin rover of Opportunity ( about the size of a golf cart). It landed in a region called Gusev Crater, where scientists thought it could’ve held water there long ago. Explored sites that showed evidence of hot springs.
  • Opportunity: ( the same size as Spirit) landed on the other side of the planet from Spirit. It landed on a region called Meridiani Planum, where scientists think that there are rocks such as grey hematite, which can be found around water here on Earth. Found some rock minerals and evidence that there might’ve been salt water seas. 
  • Curiosity: The biggest rover to land on another planet( as big as an SUV). It landed on the Gale Crater, where there is a big mountain and that mountain has many layers that could help find the history of the water on the Red Planet.
  • Perseverance: It is as big as a small SUV. It landed on the Jezero Crater region. This rover is about the same as the Curiosity rover, but its functions and job is much different. This rover is looking for microbial life that might’ve started on this planet. 

Each rover is made to different jobs and gives us different types of informations. Each rover has landed on different parts of Mars. One’s job is to find microbial life evidence, and another is to find dried up water samples, while one finds rock samples. Each helps scientists make theories and experiments on given information. This info could really help in the future as more information is given from new and modified rover are sent to Mars. This could help make life changing choices in the future.

4. What does NASA think?

NASA doesn’t say much but the fact that Mars’ atmosphere has changed, from an atmosphere and landforms much like Earth’s, to an atmosphere that of which we know Mars as now.

NASA says that Mars did not have plate tectonics like Earth does, so it most likely was “one continent”. With mini rivers, lakes, and ocens,a probably not as big as Earth’s.

Scientist don’t expect to find living things on Mars. What they are looking for is evidence of past life on the planet. To see if Mars did have the ability to sustain life. Researchers say that Mars may have better preservation. Environmental events here on Earth were once shut down on Mars many years ago.

““We don't believe, for example, that Mars had plate tectonics in the way Earth has had for most of its history," said Ken Williford from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. “ (BBC.com)

5. Environmental changes

Past: 

Mars’ landscape has been altered and changed thanks to volcanoes, atmospheric conditions such as dust storms, impact craters, and crustal movements. These events have created this solar systems’ most topographical features. 

Recent:

Researchers say that water ice can possibly be underneath the surface of Mars. Rovers have suggested ( with pictures ) that there have been dust winds and storms. Climate changes have occurred and will most likely occur on the surface.

Mars is home to the solar system’s most largest volcano, which is three times larger than Mt. Everest.

6. Events on Mars

So far there hasn’t been that many reports of events on the surface except the rovers being sent to the “Red Planet”, but naturally there isn’t much.

 

  • Layered rocks on the Mars’ surface was once lava that flowed. Perseverance has sent photos of evidence, and mission scientists say that it was “ completely unexpected”.
  • Information is to be sent as Perseverance discovers the ancient river delta

 

More events are to be unleashed as more rovers discover different parts of the surface.

7. Human Explorations and Needs

Oxygen:

Scientists think that, if humans were to live on Mars, then there should be a steady supply of oxygen, and that it would be very costly to transport that in necessary needs.

Water:  

Water may be a problem as we don’t know for sure if there is water underground, and for sure, thanks to rover explorations, that there is no water on the upper surface of the planet.

Spacesuits:

As dust is common in Martian planets, that would mean that humans can’t just live there without a covering from it. Spacesuits will also need to be provided to explorers and people who go there, to protect them from the natural disasters on the surface.

Shelter:

There will also need to be a shelter to protect humans.  

 

 

 

Data

 

Conclusion

There hasn’t been much happening on Mars for us to conclude a certain possibility of life there, but there has been the change in the atmosphere and environment. To conclude once again, there is a high possibility that Mars could sustain life, but again there is also the possibility of it not hosting life in the future. Many rovers have been sent to do different types of researches and find different things helping us find more information.

 

Citations

INFORMATION:

Abe, Shige. “Evidence of Recent Climate Change on Mars | News | Astrobiology.” NASA Astrobiology, 7 September 2001, https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/evidence-of-recent-climate-change-on-mars/. Date found: Jan 03, 2024

Amos, Jonathan. “What chance has Nasa of finding life on Mars?” BBC, 14 December 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46563144. Date found: Jan 03, 2024

Brennan, Pat.

Brown, Aaron. “Curiosity | Mars Rover, Facts, & Discoveries.” Britannica, 25 January 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Curiosity-United-States-robotic-vehicle. Date found: Jan 02, 2024

Croft, Steve. “Requirements for Life.” Understanding Evolution, https://evolution.berkeley.edu/a-place-for-life/ingredients-for-life/requirements-for-life/. Date found: Jan 01, 2024

Doran, Seán. “Spirit (rover).” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_(rover). Date found: Jan 02, 2024

“Incredible Footage Of Mars In 4K.” Geekerhertz, 5 August 2020, https://geekerhertz.com/article/mars-in-4k-incredible-footage. Date found: Jan 03, 2024

Kershner, Kate. “What conditions are required for life? | HowStuffWorks.” Science | HowStuffWorks, https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/conditions-required-life.htm. Date found: Jan 01, 2024

Kovo, Yael. “Life on Mars: A Definite Possibility | News | Astrobiology.” NASA Astrobiology, 30 August 2004, https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/check-type-life-on-mars-a-definite-possibility/. Date Found: Jan 02, 2024

“Mars Exploration Rover – Spirit.” NASA Science, https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mer-spirit. Date found: Jan 02, 2024

“Mars: Facts.” NASA Science, https://science.nasa.gov/mars/facts/. Date found: Jan 03, 2024

“Mars Pathfinder.” NASA Science, https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-pathfinder/. Date found: Jan 02, 2024

“The Mars Rovers.” NASA Space Place, https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/mars-rovers/en/. ( and given links about rovers inside ) Jan 02, 2024

“NASA's Mars 2020 Will Blaze a Trail — for Humans.” NASA, 12 June 2019, https://www.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020-perseverance/perseverance-rover/nasas-mars-2020-will-blaze-a-trail-for-humans/. Date found: Jan 03, 2024

“Opportunity.” NASA Science, https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mer-opportunity/. Date found: Jan 02, 2024

“Perseverance (rover).” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseverance_(rover). Date found: Jan 02, 2024

“SEEC - What makes a planet habitable.” SEEC, https://seec.gsfc.nasa.gov/what_makes_a_planet_habitable.html. Date found: Jan 01, 2024

Strickland, Ashley. “Perseverance rover makes 'completely unexpected' volcanic discovery on Mars.” CNN, 15 December 2021, https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/15/world/perseverance-rover-mars-findings-scn/index.html. Date found: Jan 03, 2024

“Are We Alone? | The Search For Life – Exoplanet Exploration: Planets Beyond our Solar System.” Exoplanet Exploration, 9 February 2023, https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/search-for-life/are-we-alone/. Date found: Jan 01, 2024

“Life on Mars is possible with 3 main requirements.” Wikipedia, https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=973820dd9967c07eJmltdHM9MTcwNDA2NzIwMCZpZ3VpZD0zNzU1YjdhZC0zMmM5LTZmMzQtMmMzMi1hNDU0MzM3ZDZlZTYmaW5zaWQ9NTUwOQ&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=3755b7ad-32c9-6f34-2c32-a454337d6ee6&psq=what+are+the+main+needs+for+life+to+exist+on+any+. Date found: Jan 01, 2024.

Vanzetti, Donna. “Why Go to Mars? The Pros and Cons of Travelling to the Red Planet.” Stargazers Club WA, 23 June 2020, https://stargazersclubwa.com.au/why-go-to-mars-the-pros-and-cons/. Accessed 14 March 2024.7

 

GRAPHS:

Acknowledgement

I'd like to thank my teachers, my friends, and my family, for supporting me throughout my project so far. My teachers and friends for encouraging and answering all my questions. My parents for supporting and providing me with all the materials and help that made this project a success.