According to one study, Mars contains more oxygen-rich water than it is assumed

Mars (representative image)

New Delhi : New research reveals that Mars has a good amount of oxygen-rich water than previously thought.The study indicates that the amount of water could be sufficient to support aerobic respiration. This new development goes against traditional beliefs about life on the red planet.

Scientists believed that living organisms could not survive on Mars because of adverse weather conditions. It was also confirmed that the water on Mars was in the form of ice or hydrated minerals, hence the possibility of salt and oxygen-rich water puddles

But now, a study conducted by scientists of the Institute of Technology of California (Caltech) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) conclude that if liquid water exists on Mars, it would contain more oxygen than was actually thought

. Using sophisticated computer models, the team determined that puddles could exist and support microbes. The Mars poles are areas where the temperature is lower and the pressure is higher, so there may be a chance that more oxygen will be added to the water. And, the poles of the red planet are the most likely place where to find evidence of life.

"If there are brines on Mars, then oxygen would have no choice but to infiltrate them," the researcher co-wrote. Woody Fischer, a geobiologist at Caltech, said in a press release. Smithsonian

"We were completely amazed," said Vlada Stamenković, lead author of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "I came back to recalculate everything five times to make sure it's a real thing," according to the Smithsonian report.

On the contrary, it should be noted that the atmosphere of Mars is about 160 times thinner than that of Earth and contains mainly carbon dioxide. The availability of liquid water on Mars is still uncertain.

"Oxygen is an essential ingredient in determining the livability of an environment, but it is relatively rare on Mars," Woody Fischer said in an official statement.

"No one ever thought that the dissolved oxygen levels needed for breathing could theoretically exist on Mars," continued Vlada Stamenković of NASA.