Could we be all Martians? Scientists say that the conditions on Mars could be more suitable for the emergence of life than previously thought.

On the Red Planet, there could have been more favorable conditions for the emergence of life than on Earth, claim scientists. According to them, one of the meteorites from Mars brought to Earth molybdenum and boron which are necessary for the development of organisms.

This was stated by Prof. Steven Benner, a geochemist of the American Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, at the Goldschmidt annual conference. According to him, oxidized minerals such as molybdenum oxide have a crucial role in the origin of life.

Benner was quoted by PhysOrg as saying:

“Furthermore, recent studies have shown that conditions, suitable for the emergence of life, might still exist on Mars”.

He explained that this is about the oxidized forms of molybdenum, which were not present on Earth 3 billion years ago due to a lack of oxygen.

The scientist noted that at the beginning of the life formation on Earth, our planet was almost completely covered with water. The water destroys the DNA and RNA, but molybdenum and boron found on the Red Planet helped prevent it.

“This is yet another proof of the fact that life on Earth originated after a collision with a Martian meteorite”, said the geochemist.

In addition, he said that all living beings are made up of organic matter, and if you add energy and leave them alone, they cannot create life, and would probably become “a substance similar to a resin, which is more suited to the pavement than to the beginning of the evolution.”

“Therefore, we believe that the minerals containing both boron and molybdenum were the basis of the origin of life,” said Benner.

Thus, comparing the two planets, he concluded that the Earth has the most suitable conditions for the existence and development of organisms.


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