Mars Curiosity Rover has been there on Mars since 2012, and it has, now, discovered evidence of boron, on the planet. That has led researchers to conclude that there used to be life on Mars because that element is a key ingredient of life.
Curiosity had landed in Gale crater and is now climbing a layered Martian mountain. In the course of its journey, it has come across chemical evidence of how ancient lakes and wet underground environments had changed. As it goes up the mountain, it is encountering more of clay and boron. Obviously, these are positive signs, and NASA is excited about the finding of boron which is a building block of life.
Boron on Mars is significant
Daily Mail UK reports that Mars Curiosity Rover discovered the boron found on Mars. It was in calcium sulfate mineral veins which means it was present in the groundwater of the red planet. This can be interpreted to mean that there was groundwater in Gale Crater and the region was habitable with temperatures ranging between 0-60 degrees Celsius.
It is still not known whether life ever existed on Mars and the latest finding is just another indicator that there could have been life on Mars. This discovery is significant because it shows that conditions, from which life could have potentially grown, were available on Mars and were independent of life on Earth.
When NASA landed its Curiosity rover on Mars five years ago, the first and foremost mission was to determine whether the area, known as Gale crater, could have had a habitable environment.
This has, since, been confirmed.
The next rover, Mars 2020, would be equipped with specially developed instruments to search for signs of past life on the planet.
Life on Mars
Mars is just another planet in the solar system, and it has similarities with our own planet Earth. Hence, it has a special charm for scientists because they want to explore the feasibility of colonizing Mars.
NASA is one of the several agencies that want to send man to Mars and if there is evidence of life on the planet it would be an advantage. Boron indicates the presence of life but, the life forms may not resemble human beings or fictional characters. They could be vegetation like moss, lichen, grass, and weeds which would mean an environment conducive to farming.
That will be important for future settlers.
Mars One is imparting training to prospective settlers for colonization of Mars, and if they choose Gale crater as the first human outpost on the planet, they could reap the benefits of what Mars Curiosity rover has discovered.
