According to a study published in the journal Astrobiology, ancient bacteria may be harboring beneath the surface of Mars. Mars is dry and cold, with an average temperature of minus 63 degrees Celsius in the mid-latitudes. In an even harsher environment, Mars is also constantly bombarded by intense galactic cosmic radiation and solar protons. To explore whether life could survive these conditions, the researchers first determined the ionizing radiation survival limit for microbial life. They then exposed six species of terrestrial bacteria and fungi to the simulated surface of Mars and shocked them with gamma rays or protons to simulate radiation in space. Ultimately, the researchers determined that some terrestrial microbes have the potential to survive on Mars on geological timescales of hundreds of millions of years. Researchers have discovered that a powerful microbe, Deinococcus radiodurans (also known as “Conan bacteria”), is particularly well-suited to surviving the harsh conditions of Mars. Buried just 10 centimeters below the surface of Mars increases the lifespan of Conan bacteria to 1.5 million years, research has shown. If buried 10 meters underground, the bacteria can survive for up to 280 million years.
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