Life on Mars? Scientists receive boost in hunt for aliens on the Red Planet
SCIENTISTS may be a step closer to finding life on Mars after analysing data from historic earthquakes which rocked the Red Planet in the past.
Life on Mars? Views of the Red Planet
They believe seismic activity could have created enough hydrogen and micro-organisms to sustain some form of living being.
Boffins at Yale University in the USA, co-ordinated by Sean McMahon, published their findings in the scientific journal Astrobiology.
The research team formulated the data after studying active faults in Scotland's Hebridean Islands.
Elon Musk Presents His Plan to Colonize Mars
This view of Mars appears to show snow on the higher areas
Our measurements suggest there is enough hydrogen to encourage the growth of micro-organisms in the vicinity of active faults
They found friction caused by earthquakes creates new rocks containing tiny pockets of hydrogen that would favour the appearance of life-form.
Dr McMahon said: "A previous study had suggested hydrogen is formed during earthquakes when rocks break and clash against each other.
"Our measurements suggest there is enough hydrogen to encourage the growth of micro-organisms in the vicinity of active faults.
"While more complex animals get their energy from the reaction of oxygen with sugar, bacteria exploit different types of reactions, such as the oxidation of hydrogen."
Another view of the Martian landscape
He continued: "Mars is not very active seismically, but our work shows Marsquakes could produce enough hydrogen to support small populations of microorganisms, at least for short periods of time''.
Dr McMahon acknowledged his team's research was just a small part of the picture that emerges on the suitability of the Martian surface where other sources of energy for life may be available.
Mars from afar
He said the best way to get an answer and find traces of life on Mars would be to examine rocks and minerals on the ground near the unstable faultlines.
A possible confirmation could arrive with the NASA mission InSight in 2018 when the Martian seismic activity will be measured.