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Friday, December 16, 2011

Life on Mars IS possible: Earth microbes thrive in icy lava tubes - and 'eat' iron-rich rocks

  • Bacteria survive 5,000 feet up and 100ft below ground
  • Cold, oxygen-poor conditions 'like Mars'
  • Live on 'olivine' - an iron-rich mineral found on Mars
  • Need no organic material to survive

Could live actually survive in the hostile, freezing conditions on Mars?

A team of scientists from Oregon have collected microbes from an icy 'lava tube' in mountains in Orgeon - similarly hostile to the Red Planet's surface - and found common microbes thriving.

The microbes 'lived' on iron from a mineral found in rocks - a mineral, olivine, also found in volcanic rocks on Mars, and could survive low oxygen conditions and the total absence of organic food.

Olympus Mons on Mars, the largest volcano in the solar system: Volcanic rock - olivine - which is found on Mars formed the 'food' for the bacteria living in mountains in Oregon

Olympus Mons on Mars, the largest volcano in the solar system: Volcanic rock - olivine - which is found on Mars formed the 'food' for the bacteria living in mountains in Oregon

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2074979/Life-Mars-IS-possible-Microbes-thrive-icy-Mars-like-lava-tubes-Oregon.html

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