Tag Archives: hydrothermal systems

Would Mars life be shaped like fettuccine?

Posted on May 29, 2019 by rburnham

A rover scanning the surface of Mars for evidence of life might want to check for rocks that look like pasta, researchers report in the journal Astrobiology. The bacterium that controls the formation of such rocks on Earth is ancient … Continue reading →

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Geology and astrobiology of McLaughlin Crater

Posted on April 10, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Joseph Michalski and seven co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] The Geology and Astrobiology of McLaughlin Crater, Mars: An Ancient Lacustrine Basin Containing Turbidites, Mudstones, and Serpentinites • McLaughlin crater contained … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: This is not the hydrothermal deposit you’re looking for

Posted on July 27, 2018 by rburnham

A hotspot for exploration on Mars centers on areas that were once, or are currently, next to a significant source of heat such as volcanoes. Martian volcanoes have not been active for the last couple million years, but beneath the … Continue reading →

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Ancient sea-floor hydrothermal deposits in Eridania

Posted on October 16, 2017 by rburnham

The discovery of evidence for ancient sea-floor hydrothermal deposits on Mars identifies an area on the planet that may offer clues about the origin of life on Earth. A recent international report [published in Nature Communications by a team led … Continue reading →

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Zinc and germanium levels at Gale Crater boost evidence for habitable environment

Posted on August 24, 2017 by rburnham

New data gathered by the Mars Curiosity rover indicates a potential history of hydrothermal activity at Gale Crater on the red planet, broadening the variety of habitable conditions once present there, scientists report in a new study. Researchers found concentrations … Continue reading →

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Looking for Mars life — in Chile

Posted on November 17, 2016 by rburnham

Two geoscientists at Arizona State University have made a discovery among hot springs in Chile that may spur scientists to revisit a location on Mars explored several years ago by NASA’s Spirit rover. The discovery involves fingerlike structures that form … Continue reading →

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When Gale was young

Posted on August 9, 2012 by rburnham

With Mars rover Curiosity safely down on Mars, scientists are set to explore the geology and history of Gale Crater, searching for evidence of habitable environments, ancient or modern. Gale Crater has attracted much study since it became a candidate … Continue reading →

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