It seems like everyone has been asking the same question since we first discovered there were other potentially hospitable planets… Is there life on Mars? Even David Bowie wanted to know. One controversial new paper has recently been released that claims there really is life on Mars. However, not everyone is happy to agree…
Evidence Of Life On Mars
In the new paper, published in the Journal of Astrobiology and Space Science Reviews, experts are claiming that they have discovered evidence of life on Mars – coincidentally, this is also what the paper is called. Using nearly 200 peer-reviewed studies, as well as photos taken by the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers, the paper claims to have discovered algae, fungi, and lichens all growing on Mars. So, are there really Mars mushrooms out there?
Controversial
The journal which published the paper in its debut edition had a few things to say about the findings. In fact, they labeled it controversial and had several of their own senior editors and independent scientists review it. Three of the 14 people who reviewed it actually rejected the claims, calling the evidence in the paper more circumstantial than solid facts. The studies included in the paper looked at seasonal changes in methane, obscure structures, and even the chance that life may have traveled in between planets. However, as the paper says itself in the conclusion, these could all just be circumstantial evidence.
In Favor Of Biology
One of the authors of the paper, Dr. Regina Dass, explains that ‘Evidence of Life on Mars’ is not based on opinion, and that nearly 200 research studies from over 500 scientists were used to compile the piece. She explains that their combined research “collectively weighs in favor of biology.” She goes on to admit that while they do not have any hard evidence, such as pictures of cells, there is a lot of evidence which points to biological life on Mars.
Unfortunately, it seems as though this paper is still not the proof required that there is (or could be) life on Mars – and that means there’s still a lot of research to be done if we ever want to colonize the red planet.