Now Reading: Spain’s blood-red river offers clues to Martian life, Nasa says
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Spain’s blood-red river offers clues to Martian life, Nasa says
Nasa says Spain's Río Tinto river, with its blood-red water and vinegar-like acidity, is one of Earth's best analogues for Mars. BBC Travel reports that researchers have found diverse microbial communities living…
The Story in Brief
Nasa says Spain's Río Tinto river, with its blood-red water and vinegar-like acidity, is one of Earth's best analogues for Mars. BBC Travel reports that researchers have found diverse microbial communities living beneath the river, strengthening the idea that if life ever existed on Mars, it might survive underground. The river's extreme chemistry comes from iron and sulfur compounds, further acidified by bacteria that thrive on them. The surrounding landscape also contains jarosite, a mineral previously identified on Mars. Nasa has used the site to test life-detection technologies for future planetary missions.
The Indian Opinion
Elon Musk wants to colonise Mars, but India spends its space budget on earth observation and navigation. That is wise. The Río Tinto story shows how expensive planetary science can be, and how little we know about our own underground ecosystems. Until India can afford a robotic mission to the Red Planet, the real action is at home: the Chandrayaan programme, the NavIC constellation, and the thousands of villages still waiting for broadband. Let the billionaires dream. We have rice to grow.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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