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The possibility of life on Mars is a topic of enormous interest to scientists due to its proximity and similarities to the Earth. No evidence has been found of past or present life to date, but evidence has shown that during the ancient Noachian period, the surface environment of Mars had liquid water and could be habitable for microorganisms. NASA’s Perseverance Rover will land on the Red Planet on February 18, 2021 and will help determine if the planet was once habitable, before gathering key data to help NASA prepare for future human missions.
But Science Channel’s “unexplained NASA files” revealed how the space agency got a surprise the last time it touched earth on the red planet.
The narrator explained: “NASA’s mission to Mars is online.
“The entire $ 800 million (£ 610 million) operation hinges on the high-risk landing of the Opportunity Rover probe inside Eagle Crater.
“When Opportunity begins to broadcast, the euphoria of Mission Control quickly turns into a shock.
“The Martian surface is covered with small spherical rocks.”
Planetary Mars scientist Professor Jim Bell explained how they identified what would soon be known as the “blueberries of Mars”.
He said: “We look around, we take pictures and we see the ground literally covered with these little spherical specks and this is really weird.
“What are these things and where do they come from?
“Mars is the red planet, everything is red, and these are less red, so for an astronomer this means blue.”
READ MORE: NASA Innovation on the Moon: “Living Insects” Found on Apollo Equipment Returned to Earth
“But if they indicate the presence of water, the implications are startling.”
The narrator explained how the researchers developed a theory about the rocks.
He said: “What could be an artificial source remains pure speculation until the results of an experiment to test the effects of meteorite impacts provide an exciting possibility.
“When scientists fire high-voltage plasma charges at Martian dust, the energy beams transform the fragments into perfect spheres.
“But another theory about the origin of blueberries supports the idea of life on the Red Planet.”
Astronomer Marc D’Antonio detailed how the team concluded the finding suggested the presence of water.
He said: “Mars blueberries might sound a little weird, but we have them here on Earth as well.
“They are created in the presence of water and those small shapes are called concretions that form in the rock as the water circulates.
“The water on Mars is very exciting because it means that, at some point, Mars was probably habitable.”
Meteorite specialist Dr Allan Treiman added: “We have active groundwater, this is what you need on Earth for life, perhaps this is an environment where life could have thrived.”
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