Although we know early Mars was wetter, warmer and more habitable than the freeze-dried desert world of today, researchers have yet to find any direct proof that life of any kind ever graced the Martian surface. If Mars did once host life, key questions remain: How did such life impact the planet, and where could we find evidence for its past existence? A new study considering these mysteries counterintuitively finds that a plausible Martian biosphere could’ve been instrumental for tipping the planet into its presently inhospitable state. The findings further suggest certain regions of Mars—including Jezero Crater, where NASA’s Perseverance rover now roams—as the planet’s best locales to search for signs of life. And they ominously hint that life may be its own worst enemy on worlds throughout the cosmos.
To read more, click here.