A team of international researchers believe that the minerals and microorganisms they discovered in Lanzarote lava tubes could help in the search for life on Mars, BBC Wildlife magazine reports.
The team used scalpels and chisels to sample material from six caves on the island – Cueva Paso / Esqueleto, Cueva de Montaña Rajada, Cueva de Maguez, Cueva Las Breñas, Cueva de los Naturalistas and Cueva Monte Corona Puerta Falsa.
The samples were then analysed, showing that the volcanic rock within the lava tubes had created a natural shield, preserving minerals and organic compounds from weathering. As a result, biosignatures (evidence of life on a planet, past or present) had been preserved
Team leader Professor Bogdan P. Onac said “This study adds to our understanding of geological and environmental changes on Earth and highlights lava tubes as potential refuges for microbial life, holding significant implications for astrobiology, particularly in identifying biosignatures on Mars and other celestial bodies”.
The full study, in the Nature journal, can be found at www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01673-4
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