This document summarizes evidence that life may have existed on Mars in the form of endolithic bacteria. It discusses how certain bacteria can survive extreme environments similarly found on Mars. Studies of the Atacama desert and cold springs in Canada show environments that could support Martian life. Organic compounds and possible microbial fossils have been discovered in Martian rocks and meteorites providing further evidence. Future exploration of Martian hydrothermal systems and structures like stromatolites could aid the search for past life on Mars. While not definitive, the document argues continuing research may discover convincing proof that life once existed on the red planet.

1. A case of life on mars
By Priya Ray and
Sayantani Nath

2. • Certain organisms which thrive in extreme
environments where life is impossible including
bacteria, archaea, fungi , lichen, algae etc. fall under
the broad category of endoliths.
• The endolithic environment, is a ubiquitous microbial
habitat and interface between biology and geology.
• These endoliths are of particular interest to
astrobiologists, who theorise that endolithic
environments on Mars and other planets constitute
potential refugia for the extra-terrestrial microbial
communities..i.e, Life outside earth. photo : Google

3. CONTENTS
• Pseudo Panspermia.
• Discovery of organic compounds on Martian soil that
indicate ancient life forms.
• Evidence of life in a Martian meteorite.
• Similarities of active endolithic ecosystem of Atacama
desert with Martian environment.
• Impact generated hydrothermal systems on Earth and
Mars.
• Immunological Deposition Of Mellitic Acid In The
Atacama Desert
• Mineralogy of saline perennial cold springs in Canada
and implications of spring deposits on Mars.
• Searching for Stromatolites.
photo :
Mars-1-project

4. According to
researchers in
California and Hawaii,
there is this
particular concept of
PSEUDO-
PANSPERMIA, i.e., the
delivery of the
“ingredients of life”
from space. The news
also strengthens the
likelihood that life is
ubiquitous.
Martian environment
was simulated by low
temperature, proton
irradiation, ultraviolet
irradiation , and
simulated Martian
atmosphere (CO2
95.46%, N2 27%, water
vapour 0.03% ) in a
special cryostat. After
exposure to these
conditions, TMV and
spores of certain
endolithic bacteria and
some species of coccus
showed significant
survival.

5. Discovery of organic compounds on Martiansoil that indicate ancient Life forms
The finding comes via Curiosity’s (NASA ‘s Mars rover ) drill,
which uncovered a sample of grey soil, quite different from the
typical heavily oxidized ground that gives the “Red Planet” its
famous colour.
Martian soil includes carbonates, Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAH) and mineral compounds (iron sulphides and
magnetite) that are commonly produced by different microbes on
earth. Also fossil-like structures were found in these locations,
strikingly similar in appearance and size to the tiniest earthian
microbial fossil.
Photo: www.robotshop.com

6. Evidence of Life in a Martian
Meteorite
Photos: Google

7. Recent studies suggest that
Water have drained downward
when it was trapped as
Subsurface ice.
The presence of water (or
ice) on Mars increases the
odds that Life in the form of
endoliths once existed on
Mars.
Photo: nasa.gov.com

8. Similarities of active endolithic
ecosystem of Atacama desert with
Martian environment
The hyper-arid core of the Atacama desert in Chile is one of
the best terrestrial analogues of the extreme arid
conditions on Mars.
 Weakly welded rhyolithic ignimbrites in the desert are
abundantly colonized by endolithic cyanobacteria and
associated heterotrophic bacteria. This is the first known
example of an endolithic microbial community colonizing
ignimbrite rocks in a very dry environment.

9. The existence of a habitat capable of
supporting abundant phototrophic and
heterotrophic communities that precludes most
of the life forms, suggests that if similar
deposits are found on Mars, these should be
considered important targets in search of life.
Most of studies were conducted by the
technique of Raman Spectroscopy. The
advantages of Raman spectroscopy for the
detection of biomolecules in geological
mineral matrices was illustrated using
terrestrial extremophile specimens from hot
and cold deserts where temperatures,
desiccation and exposure to low wavelength,
high energy radiation in the ultraviolet region
demand response strategies for species
survival.
Photo : Google

10. • It has long been suggested that hydrothermal systems might
have provided habitats for the origin and evolution of early life
on Earth and possibly, Mars. Such studies have been done in
detail for a handful of Martian craters, e.g.Toro Crater.
• Synthesizing observations of impact craters on earth and Mars
, it is suggested that life existed earlier on Mars, then
hydrothermal deposits associated with impact craters may
provide the best, and most numerous, opportunities for
finding preserved evidence for life on Mars. Moreover,
hydrothermally altered and precipitated rocks can provide
nutrients and habitats for bacterial life, long after
hydrothermal activity has ceased
Photo: Mars
Photo: Mars society Education Forum
Photo: Nasa.114

11. Immunological Deposition Of Mellitic Acid In The
Atacama Desert
It has been argued that polycarboxylic acids like hexacarboxylic acid
(mellitic acid) can be produced and synthesized and accumulated in
the Martian regolith from the oxidation of organic matter (meteoritic).
Herein, the production of an antibody of mellitic acid is reported and
the development of a fluorescent inhibiton microarray immunoassay to
detect this substance.
Antibody is to detect mellitic acid in drill core samples obtained from
different depths in the Atacama desert, a highly relevant terrestrial
analogue for Mars. The presence of Mellitic acid was corroborated by
organic extraction and GC/MS analysis. The results showed a smooth
gradient of mellitic acid concentration (higher at surface and
diminishing with depth).
This may indicate at the primitive occurrence of LIFE as endoliths in
surface rocks in Mars.
Photo: upload.wikimedia.org

12. Mineralogy of saline perennial cold springs
in Canada and implications of spring
deposits on Mars
 The detailed mineralogy and distribution of precipitates in
crusts and sediments of three non-volcanic perennial cold
springs – associated with gypsum/anhydrite diapirs on – Axel
Heiberg Island, Canada ; Wolf Spring (WS) ; Colour Peak
Springs (CP), and Gypsum Hill Springs (GH) . At these sites
permafrost, frigid winter temperatures and arid atmospheric
conditions approximate conditions of present day as well as past,
of Mars.
 Spring sediments are home to thriving microbial communities in
winter and summer months. If spring systems did exist on the
surface of Mars, they may represent environments capable of
supporting endolithic microbial life
Photo: parade.condenast.com

13. SEARCHING FOR STROMATOLITES : AT PILBARA
REGION, WESTERN AUSTRALIAAS A MARS
ANALOGUE
Stromatolites or stromatoliths are layered bio-chemical accretionary
structures formed in shallow water by the trapping, binding and
cementation of sedimentary grains by biofilms of microorganisms,
especially cyanobacteria.
Stromatolites are readily identified, outcrop scale
indicators of potential biological activity constructed by
microbes.
Their presence in volcano sedimentary successions of
Pilbara region in Western Australia suggests that they
might also occur in similar Noachian age successions
on Mars.
Photo:www.fossilmuseum.net

14. C O N C L U S I O N A N D F U T U R E
P R O S P E C T S All these evidences though may indicate presence of life on Mars in
the form of endolithic bacteria , however it is too early for a concrete
prediction.
 With further research in this field, there is a strong possibility of
discovery of life on Mars. In this field, more advanced
instrumentation is required for geochemical and isotopic analysis of
samples. Curiosity has been proved to be a giant leap in the Martian
research ; but further such space rovers are needed for better
analytical approaches.
 There is a growing body of evidence for impact generated
hydrothermal activity on Mars (point no. 5) ; although further
detailed studies using high resolution imagery and multispectral
information are required
 If life is detected on Mars someday, it will open a whole new horizon
of not only astrobiology or other related branches of science, but also
for humanity on earth.
Photo: Nasa.gov.in

15. REFERENCES
 www.google.com
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.sciencedirect.com
 www.msu.edu
 www.panspermia.org/whatsnew.htm
 rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/marslife
 waynesword.palomar.edu/lifemars.htm
 Endolithic Microbial Life in Extreme Cold Climate: Snow Is Required, but
Perhaps Less Is More
 Henry J. Sun
 Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Las
Vegas, NV 89119, USA; Biology 2013, 2, 693-701
 On Biogenicity Criteria for Endolithic Microborings on Early Earth and
Beyond
 NICOLA MCLOUGHLIN,1,2 MARTIN D. BRASIER,1 DAVID
WACEY,1 OWEN R. GREEN,1 and RANDALL S. PERRY1,3
 ASTROBIOLOGY Volume 7, Number 1, 2007 © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Photo: i.huffpost.com

16. Acknowledgement
No effort can attain the ultimum of
perfection unless it is cumulative. We would
like to render our whole-hearted gratitude
to all our teachers of the Microbiology
Department. A special vote of Thanks to Sir
Dr. Arup Kumar Mitra for his unhindered
guidance throughout the making of this. And
last but not the least, a very warm “THANK
YOU” to all my friends from the department
without whose altruist support this would
not have been possible.
Thank You All.
Photo: haughtonmarsproject.com