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The uncertainty as to the presence or absence of liquid water on the red planet has ended with the results of new research published in the journal Science, which for the first time, presents evidence on the existence of a liquid and salt lake located under the south pole of Mars
(If you want to know the full article published in the full newspaper click here) [19659003] This increases the probability of finding life on the red planet because it is, "just as we know, it is more likely to develop in an aqueous environment," says Santiago Vargas, PhD in Astrophysics and professor at the National University of Colombia, adding, "We know that in similar environments on Earth there is unicellular life and therefore research Extraterrestrial extremophilic life has a lot of meaning."
For its part , David Tovar, co-director of the plan group silence and astrobiology at the National University, explains that " The discovery says that there is an environment conducive to the possible existence of a form of life, such as we know it on Earth. The range of possibilities opens . "
However, Vargas clarifies," the question of whether life exists or existed at some point on Mars is still open. "
The lake is located on the Planum Austral (the south pole of the planet) region has an extension of 20 kilometers in width and records a depth of 1500 kilometers below the surface of the ice.The researchers suggest that the minimum depth of this layer of water can be ten centimeters, that is to say that it could have 10,000 million liters, an abundant amount taking into account the fact that Mars is an arid and dry planet.
The discovery says that there is an environment conducive to the possible existence of a kind of life, as we know it on Earth It opens the range of possibilities
"Because science is a great discovery because it is the first step to target space exploration missions with instruments that can determine if there is microorganisms, "says Tovar, adding that this is a milestone important in the chain of discoveries that have been advanced to find out if life can or can not exist on Mars.
According to the expert, whenever scientists have tried to find evidence of water found signs of liquid presence, but as something secondary. Now, "the essential of the discovery is that it is the first time in the history of humanity that there is indirect but conclusive evidence of the existence of liquid water on another planet, "he explains.
installed on the Mars Express probe of the European Space Agency (AEA). The scientists made the discovery after badyzing 29 groups of radar-scanned data and flying over the area between March 2012 and December 2015. They found that the radar waveforms issued in this region had time and a return intensity other than those recorded by the surface signals.
Experts say it's possible to find more lakes like these, but it still takes time to get there. "Later, scientists are planning a mission that will drill and get samples of the lake found, but for now we have to go step by step with the explorations that are under way," Tovar concludes.
WRITING OF LIFE
On Twitter: @TiempodeCiencia
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