Have you ever thought about what the life world outside the earth would be like? In the solar system, besides the earth, are there other life forms? Now, in an isolated location in the Arctic, scientists have found the answer.
It is reported that the place where scientists discovered life this time is the Lost Hammer Spring in the Arctic. This is one of the most hostile places on earth. For many years, it has been a "life forbidden area" in the minds of scientists.
However, the latest survey results are shocking, because there is abundant liquid water under the permafrost here, and in an oxygen-free, low-temperature, high-salt environment, there is still a large amount of liquid water. Researchers believe that this discovery is sufficient to prove that similar living worlds may exist in the many "underglacial oceans" of the solar system.
There may be life on multiple planets in the solar system. Who are they?
Scientists named the subglacial world where life was discovered this time "subglacial salt water lake", and such an environment exists on many planets in the solar system, such as Enceladus , Europa , and even Humanity’s future “immigration home”—Mars.
Researchers from McGill University in Canada said: Many evidences show that there is a huge saltwater lake in the Antarctic region of Mars, and its environment is highly similar to the saltwater lake confirmed in the North Pole this time. This also means that in the Life can be found in these "forbidden areas of life" on Earth, which naturally means that life will also exist on similar planets.
Of course, compared with the "alien creatures" people imagine, these life forms are just a group of microorganisms invisible to the naked eye. This also means that unless we can sample and analyze the saltwater lakes of these extraterrestrial planets, otherwise, we will not be able to see them. It is not an easy task to confirm whether there are "active microorganisms" in it.
Naturally, this will also make it more difficult for humans to find extraterrestrial life. However, because the Arctic has already given the answer, many researchers believe that this can basically be confirmed. In this area that we have been paying attention to for a long time, There is a high probability that there is life on several planets.
So, how do these microorganisms that do not require oxygen exist?
According to our understanding of life on earth, the birth of life is inseparable from "water and oxygen." However, what many people don't know is that in the early days of the birth of life on earth, there was no oxygen on the earth, including until today. On the earth, there are also many ancient "anaerobic bacteria" that do not require oxygen to survive.
Therefore, according to current research, oxygen is not a necessary condition for life. Only "water" is most likely the source of life. Therefore, as long as we find water on a planet, then it is possible that life can exist on it. .
This time, there are at least dozens of microorganisms in the subglacial saltwater lake discovered in the Arctic. Many of them are new species discovered for the first time by scientists. Not only do they not require oxygen, but they also do not Organic matter is required, and the food sources are some of the simplest inorganic compounds, such as methane, sulfates, sulfides, carbon monoxide, etc. that exist on Mars.
In addition to previous research, scientists also believe that there was a habitable period on Mars. Therefore, these seem to show that life has appeared on Mars, and they are very likely to still survive on Mars, just because of survival The harsh environment has also caused them to maintain their most primitive appearance for billions of years.
So, how can humans find these extraterrestrial microorganisms?
Take Mars as an example. As early as September 2020, scientists have confirmed that there are multiple saltwater lakes under the ice of Mars' Antarctic. They speculate that life may exist in them. However, it is not easy to figure it out because it requires Launch a probe to land at the South Pole of Mars, and cut through the ice cap of the South Pole of Mars to take samples for analysis.
The same is true for potential life planets such as Europa and Enceladus. Therefore, considering the time it takes for the detector to be launched to take samples and then return to the earth, this also means that if humans want to confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life , at least It's 10 years later.
However, these discoveries on earth and the detection of these planets also seem to indicate that life is most likely ubiquitous in the universe. However, the process of evolving from the most primitive microorganisms to complex life is It is very harsh, which also leads to the fact that the life on most living planets is in a very primitive state. Planets like the earth with complex life and civilization are also rare.
In the next step, scientists hope to find more similar "life forbidden areas" on the earth, so as to study them and determine whether there are other living planets in the solar system. Let's wait and see! Finally, friends, in your opinion, what is the probability that humans will find extraterrestrial life? Welcome to leave a message and share it with us!
