The latest WWF Living Planet report notes that wildlife populations are declining at a dizzying rate and that we may be falling behind. As a species, we feel invincible; but, no matter how difficult it is sometimes for us to admit it, we are still alone and around us an example of what can happen to us. What if we also had an example of what could happen to us? like a planet? What if there was life on other planets like Mars, but it disappeared due to changing of the climate?
This is the conclusion of a study recently published in Astronomy of nature by a group of scientists from various research centers French and American. It hypothesizes that Mars may have had ideal conditions for life in the past, but these may have been altered by changes in its climate.
Logically, this does not mean that it was a life like that which is here on Earth. There are no little green men. And therefore, this does not mean that it was this life that propitiated changing of the climatehow we do. The only thing we need to keep in mind is that climate change could drastically change the planet’s ability to support life. It is for this reason that we should not risk ours so much.
Climate change that could end life on Mars
Before proceeding to analyze the research of these scientists, it is important to note that it’s a hypothesis. There is no certainty that there was life on Mars in the past and that climate change will put an end to it. Now the findings of his study are interesting enough to continue delving into them.
According to their study, based on computational models, about 4 billion years ago, the atmosphere of Mars was much tighter than now. In addition, the temperature will be lower than it is now on Earth. But not as low as measured today on the red planet. This would be slightly above the freezing point of water, so it could be in a liquid state.
Its surface will consist of porous regolith impregnated with brine, which will create an environment in which microbes can multiply, protected from cosmic radiation. Thus, it is estimated that the amount biomass on mars could be equivalent The primeval ocean of the Earth.
Unfortunately, the models that best fit data from Mars show that these microorganisms could have consumed mainly hydrogen and carbon dioxideas a source of energy, producing in turn methane. And this methane will accumulate in the environment more and more, producing rarefaction and, in turn, the cooling of global temperatures, which would prevent the continued existence of life.
This is just a hypothesis, but it makes sense. And this is curious, because it would be the very life of Mars, consisting of Martian microbeswhich would lead to climate change. The big difference with Earth is that these microbes were unaware of the consequences of their actions. Yes, people, and even so, we are not taking action to prevent climate change. If Mars is a mirror in which we can look at ourselves, it shows us that we are doing something very badly.
Source: Hiper Textual
