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Ancient Microbes Could Survive 50 Million Years on Mars

10/18/2025

Summary

Story summary

A study from NASA and Penn State University indicates that ancient microbial life could be preserved in Martian ice for over 50 million years.
Researchers simulated Martian conditions by freezing E. coli samples in pure ice and a mixture of ice and Martian soil, exposing them to radiation equivalent to 50 million years on Mars.
The study found that over 10% of amino acids survived in pure ice, while those in the soil mixture degraded ten times faster.
The findings suggest that future Mars missions should focus on pure ice regions to search for well-preserved organic material.

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Story summary

A study from NASA and Penn State University indicates that ancient microbial life could be preserved in Martian ice for over 50 million years.
Researchers simulated Martian conditions by freezing E. coli samples in pure ice and a mixture of ice and Martian soil, exposing them to radiation equivalent to 50 million years on Mars.
The study found that over 10% of amino acids survived in pure ice, while those in the soil mixture degraded ten times faster.
The findings suggest that future Mars missions should focus on pure ice regions to search for well-preserved organic material.