Scientists have long been curious about Mars’ potential for supporting life, particularly regarding its past climate. A new study reveals that Mars likely had a cold, icy history akin to subarctic regions on Earth, which may reduce the likelihood of life as we know it.

The research, published in Communications Earth and Environment, examines soils from Mars’ Gale Crater, comparing them to soils in Newfoundland, Canada. Anthony Feldman, a soil scientist at DRI, noted that while Gale Crater was once a lakebed, understanding the environmental conditions during that time is crucial.

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NASA’s Curiosity Rover, which has been exploring Gale Crater since 2011, discovered X-ray amorphous materials in the soil. Unlike regular minerals, these materials lack a repeating atomic structure, complicating their analysis. Feldman described them as a mixture of various elements and chemicals.

Chemical analyses indicated that the amorphous material is rich in iron and silica but low in aluminum. Feldman and his team sought similar materials on Earth, examining soils in Newfoundland, Northern California, and Nevada. Their findings revealed that Newfoundland’s cold, near-freezing conditions produced materials similar to those found in Gale Crater. Feldman explained that water is necessary to form these materials, but cold temperatures are required to preserve them.

This research deepens our understanding of Mars’ climate, suggesting that the materials in Gale Crater formed under subarctic conditions, similar to those seen in Iceland. The study, backed by several institutions, aims to apply its findings to other areas of research, potentially transforming early diagnosis and treatment approaches for various conditions.