Things to Know About Mars!
Mars, in the solar system, is the fourth planet from the sun. This planet is the second smallest planet in our entire solar system. The possibility of life on mars has aroused the interest of our scientists, now for many years. A reason for this curiosity is the similarity and for the proximity of the planet to the Earth. Mars, of course, gives some indications of the possibility of life existing on this planet.
In our essay, we will detail the possibility of life on this planet, Mars.
Essay on Life on Mars
Scientists and researchers have spent their years researching for evidence or any trace of life on the Red Planet, Mars. All these researches till now indicated that there is no previous trace of life on this planet. But the evidence of some elements like the frozen water, the liquid water, which traces the past, and the methane in the atmosphere of Mars have provided some lead in the research to find the existence of life on this Red deserted planet, Mars.
If I ever get a chance to go to Mars and have a life there, then I would definitely explore around. I would only wish that the planet changes its conditions to make itself fit for humans to live and survive. Also, this gives an insight for us. Humans should learn not to further pollute another planet the way they have polluted Earth.
Bio Signatures
Some research data from Mars Global Surveyor indicates that liquid water may exist just below the surface in rare places on Mars. Water ice is present at the Martian poles, and these areas will be good zones to search for proof of the existence of life as well. Spach and Research Organizations will also look for life on Mars by searching for indicative markers, or biosignatures, of current and past life. The element carbon is an essential building block of life and comprehending where carbon is present and in what form would explain a lot about the type of existence that Mars had or has.
Most of the current Martian atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide and if carbonate minerals were created on Mars' surface by chemical reactions between water and the atmosphere, the existence of these minerals would be a giant clue that water had been present for a long time. One of the top needed explorations for Mars is the understanding of its present climate. Its climate is like in the distant past that drives climate change over time.
Biosignatures are the morphological, chemical which is organic, elemental, or mineral, and the isotopic traces of the organisms that are preserved in minerals, sediments, and rocks. They represent the physical presence of the organisms as well as the proof of their metabolic activities and their metabolites. A biosignature is also called a chemical or molecular fossil and is any given substance – such as an element, isotope, molecule, or phenomenon – that supplies scientific evidence of past or present life.
Measurable features of life contain the complex physical structures and chemical structures and also the utilisation of free energy and the production of biomass and wastes. It has unique characteristics, a biosignature can be interpreted as having been created by living organisms. However, it is important that they not be considered absolute because there is no way of knowing in advance which ones are omnipresent to life and which ones are personal to the strange occasions of life on Earth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, scientists are still spending time to find evidence of life on Mars. The presence of frozen water, liquid water, and methane in the atmosphere has given some hope that some day life may exist there. There are quite many theories and fiction that are connected to the solar system’s fourth planet, Mars. Other controversies that are connected with life on Mars have come up in the late 20th and the 21st century. The possibility of life which is already existing on Mars or in the future that the humans inhabiting Mars is an excellent topic to discuss. One can find all the relevant material on Vedantu’s Site. You can refer to it for exams or for gaining general knowledge. You can also download PDFs and read it at your dispersal.
FAQs on Essay on Life on Mars
1. What are the Challenges to Life on Mars?
All animals and plants cannot survive on Mars in extremely harsh weather conditions. The other major problem is the gravity of Mars. The gravity is 38% to that of Earth, low gravity can cause health problems. Another problem is, the temperature of Mars is much cooler than Earth.
The sun in our solar system and different stars are fusion reactors that spew great amounts of electromagnetic energy, including X-ray and ultraviolet radiation. The sun and other intensively energetic objects like the centre of galaxies, also emit high-energy protons, atomic nuclei, and other particles that can induce radiation illness, adversely influence one's central nervous system, increase one’s lifetime risk for cancer and cause degenerative diseases. One of the most important characteristics a planet needs to sustain human life is the atmosphere. On Mars, there exists a very thin one that clings to Mars and it’s made up of all the wrong gases for humans. Mars' atmosphere looks like-
Primarily composed of carbon dioxide (95.3% compared to less than 1% on Earth).
Scarcely any oxygen (0.13% compared to 21% on Earth)
Little nitrogen (2.7% compared to 78% on Earth)
2. Does Mars have Oxygen?
Mars has oxygen which is only 0.13% of the atmosphere, which is compared to 21% of the Earth's atmosphere. The MOXIE system is responsible for producing oxygen like a tree, pulling in the Martian air with a pump, and using an electrochemical process to separate a single oxygen atom from another molecule of carbon dioxide. Mars' atmosphere is 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and it has hints of oxygen, water, etc along with a lot of dust. Dust turning in the air colours Mars’ sky tan in photos when taken from the surface. The density of the oxygen on Mars is approximately 1/10,000th of what Earth experiences. Mars' atmosphere does have a lot of carbon dioxide as it has about 500 times more CO2 than oxygen. If one wants to harvest oxygen on Mars for use by future adventurers or launch systems, a better way might be to remove some of it out of the CO2 and use that instead. That's where MOXIE technology plays a role.
3. What are we looking out for from Mars missions?
Life needs water on Earth to survive. If life had ever developed on Mars, it did so in the existence of a long-standing supply of water on the planet. On Mars, the search for evidence of life in areas is running where liquid water was once stable, and beneath the surface where it still might exist today. There might also be some current hot spots on Mars where hydrothermal pools furnish places for life.
4. What does the climate look like on Mars?
The current Martian climate is controlled by seasonal transformations of the carbon dioxide ice caps and the direction of large amounts of dust by the atmosphere. The exchange of water vapour between the surface and the atmosphere also plays a crucial role in deciding the climate of that planet. One of the most involved weather patterns on Mars is the generation of dust storms that typically occur in the southbound and summer. These storms can grow to enclose the whole planet. Humans still don't understand how these storms develop and grow but this is one goal of future climatic studies.
A better understanding of Mars' current climate will assist the scientists in more effectively modelling its past climatic behaviour. Humans are working towards the detailed weather maps of Mars and information about how much dust and water vapour are present in its atmosphere.
Observing the planet for this information over 1 full Martian year which is 687 Earth days, will help to understand how Mars behaves over its seasonal cycle and navigate us toward comprehending how the planet changes over millions of years.
