Essay Sample: Analogue Studies of Life on Mars

It has always been many debates concerning the life form in plant mars with study giving us different factors about the existence of life on Mars. From earth even with the best telescope its hard to find enough evidence of life on Mars. However, there has been the use of analog studies by scientists who have formed the basic key of getting most of the fundamental data or information concerning life at mass. Analog studies are those studies which can be understood as the study of mars using our environment because of its close relationship to earth as a planet.

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In the recent study that was published in one of the journal "life in the subglacial lavas as an analog for the life on Mars" which was written by cousin CR Ward. The author tries to give an analog study of mars. The study was cried out at place with hyper-arid surface and the only possible water in the desert was highly salt and ice brine in Antarctica which resemble the dryness of mars environmental condition. Considering the harsh condition there was still life forms hidden below the surface rocks which was significant to give sensitive data which give an incite of the possibility of microbes surviving mars condition. The study tries to use the volcano-ice interaction to study Mars by comparing the volcano ice environment between earth and mars hence finding evidence of the volcanic ice having a high chance of protecting micro-organism form harsh atmospheric condition which is present in planet Mars. The article tries to proves that subglacial caldera lakes and subglacial volcanoes lake can be inhabitable. Basing on the fact that some the variety environment that result from the volcano-ice interaction create alleged microbial habitats which give several opportunities for the existence of life in this environment. Mars is a cold planet but still, organism survive these extreme mars hence there are similarities in terrestrial glaciovolcanic on how land is formed . The article provides an incite of the evidence of more increasing data that prove the study to be true as there is further evidence there has been volcano-ice interaction on mars hence proving that such areas with volcanicity trigged have the highest chance of Martian life. The article, therefore, gives as an implication that the interaction between climate and volcanoes which implies that there could be the possibility of life that result from the paleoclimate created form glaciovolcanic.

According to the published article on "Isolation of Radiation-Resistant Bacteria from Mars analog Antarctic Dry Valleys by Preselection, and the Correlation between Radiation and Desiccation Resistance". The article brings the analog study of planet Mars. Extreme radiation resistant kind of microorganism perhaps can survive exposure to ionizing radiation at a far greater extent from the natural environment. It is believed that radioactivity resistance is an subsidiary form of adaptation to shriveling resistance since both hazardous causative agents usually cause similar damage to cellular. Desert soil serve the best control experiment for the scientist in prospect for new radiation resistance microorganism and strains. According to the article, the study comprises of isolating radiation resistance microbes in a process of using gamma-ray in preselection exposure. Apparently, this kind of activities takes place in extreme deserts of Dry Valleys of Antarctic's. There was a kind of 16s rRNA gene sequence that proves to be numerous survivors in the condition of highest radiation exposure. The study had to focus on microbe survival characteristics when it comes to desiccation and irradiation. The broad diversity of microorganism has been a barrier to the exclusive and detailed investigation of the association between resistance in desiccation and radiation. A result of the study found out that strong correlation exists between desiccation and radiation resistance which indicates any particular increase in resistance of desiccation in a period of five day shows relatively increase in irradiation survivals in the desired room temperature at around 1kGy. The irradiation condition of -79 degrees Celsius which is a representation of Martian surface condition, thus increasing the chance of microbial radiation. Therefore, consequent survival of the microbes in cold, desiccation and radiation - resistance microorganism which are isolated, gives implication for habitability chances of cryopreserved mars life. This result is significant in the quest to find if Mars is habitable and life-sustaining.

From both studies, it's important to understand there is a lot of significance of the study due to the fact that earth is one of the planets in the solar systems and this is the planet we believe there is life. hence these are the factor which distinguishes this planet form others but learning about life form from mars gives us a chance to promote science education and enhance our environmental research. This can be significant in try to eliminate the earth overpopulation and hence increase natural resources.

Reference

Cousins, C.R., Ward, J.D., Crawford, I.A., Towner, M.C. And Jones, A.P., (2009) Life In Subglacial Lavas As An Analogue For Life On Mars. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta, 73(13)

Musilova M., Wright G., Ward J. M., and Dartnell L. R. (2015) Isolation of Radiation-Resistant Bacteria from Mars Analog Antarctica Dry Valleys by Preselection, and the Correlation between Radiation and Desiccation Resistance. Astrobiology. 15, 1076-1090.