Researchers show that these organisms can live on the planet Mars

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The researchers made simulations of organisms that are thought to be able to live on the planet Mars. The simulation was carried out in two places, namely at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, United States (US) and in Nunavut, Canada.

The two research ‘stations’ are Mars-like habitats run by the Mars Society, where teams train for manned Mars exploration.

The simulations focused on the diversity of lichens on Mars and helped people understand these organisms on Earth and in space.

Lichens are extremely hardy organisms that can live on a variety of surfaces, from rocks and trees to bare ground and buildings.

These composite organisms are found on every continent and almost certainly every land on planet Earth, some species even surviving on the side of a -outside the International Space Station (ISS).

The robust nature of shriveled moss has long attracted the interest of researchers in investigating what kind of creatures might live on Mars.

Referring to Science Tech Daily, the mission was named Mars 160.

Scientists conducted a comprehensive study of moss biodiversity using spacesuits to view different habitats at the two stations.

They collected more than 150 specimens, these specimens were then “returned to Earth” and marked in the Canadian National Herbarium at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Through morphological analysis, anatomical and chemical internal studies, and DNA barcoding, “Mission Support” identified 35 lichen species from the Mars Desert Research Station and 13 species from the Mars Flashline Arctic Research Station.

These species are summarized, together with photographs and a summary of their identifying features, in a journal published in Checklist.

Research like this could be useful for future missions at the two analog research stations and at the same time help Earth lichenologists to better understand the distribution of organisms.

(hsy/hsy)