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Researchers suggest that if life can exist in the extreme conditions of the human stomach, then similar microorganisms could survive on Mars. Scientists believe that life on other planets must be adapted to extreme environments, such as high acidity, low temperatures or lack of sunlight.
NASA rovers have already found that Mars once had liquid water and temperatures that could have supported life. However, if there were living organisms on the Red Planet, they would likely have been similar to Earth's extremophile bacteria.
One such example on Earth is Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that survives in the highly acidic environment of the human stomach. It uses the enzyme urease to neutralize the acid and create a favorable environment for reproduction. Scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren proved that these microorganisms are the cause of peptic ulcer disease, and for this discovery they received the Nobel Prize in 2005.
If similar microorganisms could adapt to the conditions of the stomach, they could survive in the harsh conditions of Mars.Researching extremophiles on Earth helps us understand what life might look like on other planets, even if it is in a hidden or microscopic form.
These findings provide a basis for further searches for traces of life on Mars and other planets that have extreme but potentially suitable conditions for microorganisms.
Researchers suggest that if life can exist in the extreme conditions of the human stomach, then similar microorganisms could survive on Mars. Scientists believe that life on other planets must be adapted to extreme environments, such as high acidity, low temperatures or lack of sunlight.
NASA rovers have already found that Mars once had liquid water and temperatures that could have supported life. However, if there were living organisms on the Red Planet, they would likely have been similar to Earth's extremophile bacteria.
One such example on Earth is Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that survives in the highly acidic environment of the human stomach. It uses the enzyme urease to neutralize the acid and create a favorable environment for reproduction. Scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren proved that these microorganisms are the cause of peptic ulcer disease, and for this discovery they received the Nobel Prize in 2005.
If similar microorganisms could adapt to the conditions of the stomach, they could survive in the harsh conditions of Mars.Researching extremophiles on Earth helps us understand what life might look like on other planets, even if it is in a hidden or microscopic form.
These findings provide a basis for further searches for traces of life on Mars and other planets that have extreme but potentially suitable conditions for microorganisms.
