It has been revealed whether life on Mars is possible

An international team of researchers has shown that simple organisms are capable of surviving in conditions approximating those on Mars. Even a combination of powerful shock waves and toxic salts did not prove lethal to them. The study was published in the journal PNAS Nexus.

Mars is considered one of the most inhospitable planets for life. Among the main threats are shock waves from meteorite impacts and perchlorates, aggressive salts widely found in Martian soil. They disrupt the structure of proteins and other molecules necessary for cell function.

To test whether life can withstand such conditions, scientists used the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model. This organism is widely used in biology because it possesses basic cellular mechanisms similar to those of more complex life forms.

In the laboratory, the researchers recreated Martian conditions. Cells were subjected to shock waves at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound, and were also treated with perchlorate solutions at concentrations comparable to those found on the Red Planet.

It turned out that the yeast retained viability even under such extreme exposure. Although their growth slowed, the cells did not die. Moreover, they activated protective mechanisms — so-called ribonucleoprotein condensates — that help endure stress and preserve genetic information.

At the same time, cells lacking the ability to form such structures tolerated the exposure significantly worse. This points to the key role of these mechanisms in survival in extreme environments.

Previously, it was believed that the combination of mechanical and chemical factors on Mars made the existence of life virtually impossible. However, the new data show that microorganisms may be significantly more resilient than previously assumed.

The authors of the study note that their results expand our understanding of what forms of life could potentially exist on Mars. In the future, such research will help more precisely determine where and how to search for signs of life beyond Earth.