Recent studies confirm potential Martian life, not on its surface, but within.

While the Red Planet's mysteries enthrall scientists, lunar exploration gains momentum.

A report in L'Obs suggests Mars hosted a liquid water ocean 3.5 billion years ago. The Sun's rays, especially ultraviolet, are considered life-prohibiting due to perchlorate's sterilizing effect. Researchers from NASA's JPL and Brown University study Martian soil chunks from meteorites, finding chemical energy, hinting at microbial survival beneath the surface.

Earth's depths aid this understanding. Despite uncertainties, drilling aims to unveil Mars' subsurface secrets, potentially holding clues to extraterrestrial life's existence.

Mars, the enigmatic Red Planet, has long been a source of fascination for scientists and dreamers alike. Recent studies have added a new layer of intrigue, proposing that the possibility of life on Mars might not be confined to its surface but concealed within its depths.

As the scientific community grapples with this tantalizing prospect, the space program concurrently intensifies its focus on lunar exploration.

In an article published by the French magazine L'Obs, Jean-Paul Fritz delves into the hypothesis that Mars once cradled a vast ocean of liquid water approximately 3.5 billion years ago.

However, this aqueous haven is believed to have evaporated into the vastness of space, a staggering revelation that significantly diminishes the likelihood of life persisting on the Martian surface.

The prevailing challenges stem from the Sun's relentless radiation, particularly the sterilizing effect of ultraviolet rays, compounded by the presence of perchlorate—a substance known to amplify the destructive impact of these rays on the Martian terrain.

Scientists, divided in their expectations, aspire to unearth evidence of life, with some setting their sights on the prospect of discovering fossils while others remain optimistic about the potential for life thriving beneath the Martian surface.

A recent study, detailed in the journal Astrobiology, postulates that the material beneath Mars's surface might harbor conditions conducive to life. The Insight lander's attempts to drill beyond 20 centimeters aim to test this hypothesis, promising valuable insights into the Martian subsurface.

The report underscores the meticulous efforts of a team comprising researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Jesse Tarnas from Brown University.

To conduct their study, they rely on Martian soil chunks delivered to the planet in the form of meteorites, propelled by various impacts from asteroids and comets that have shaped Mars over an extended period.

Chemical analyses of these meteorites reveal a surprising revelation—contact with water generates the chemical energy requisite for the survival of microbial communities, akin to those found in the depths of Earth.

The researchers emphasize the significance of subsurface drilling for scientific exploration. As long as subsurface water exists, there is a heightened likelihood that organic chemical energy might be adequate to sustain microbial life.

While the origins of Martian life remain uncertain, the researchers posit that the energy reservoir beneath the surface could theoretically sustain life even today.

In this intricate dance of scientific discovery, Earth emerges as an invaluable laboratory. Beyond the Martian meteorites, Jesse Tarnas and his colleagues leverage revelations from Earth's depths, where microorganisms defy the conventional boundaries of surface survival.

The comparison between Martian and terrestrial conditions offers a unique perspective, shedding light on the potential for life beyond our planet.