decades ago, Mars, our planetary neighbor, aroused the fascination of scientists and astronomers. Now, new discoveries suggest that This rocky planet may have been more Earth-like than previously thought, with conditions that may have been conducive to life..
Mars shares many characteristics with our planet, such as a rocky surface, clouds, gusts of wind, a daily cycle of approximately 24 hours, weather seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes and canyons. These similarities have led to speculation about their habitability in the past and even in the future.
Astronomical observations and data from space missions indicate that the red planet had a denser, warmer atmosphere, rivers, lakes, flood channels, and possibly even oceans billions of years ago. Are conditions could have allowed the existence of life.
NASA’s Curiosity rover was key in the study of Mars and recently discovered rocks with a high concentration of manganese oxide, a substance associated on Earth with the presence of oxygen and microbial life.. This finding suggests that Mars may have had oxygen levels similar to our planet at some point in its history.
Manganese is a mineral essential for life on Earth, used by organisms to produce energy and strengthen bones, among other functions. On our planet, manganese was crucial for the appearance of oxygen and the development of life.
The production of manganese oxide generally requires the presence of oxygen or microbial activity. However, no conclusive evidence of the existence of these elements on Mars has yet been found, presenting a mystery to scientists. As Patrick Gasda, a researcher at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, noted, Although on Earth the formation of this mineral is linked to life, no evidence of living organisms has yet been found on Mars..
Curiosity found these rocks in Gale Crater, an ancient lake bed, using its ChemCam instrument to analyze the chemical composition of rocks. Scientists suggest that this place may have been a river channel that flowed into a lake, which would indicate the presence of liquid water in the past.
Although these findings point to the possible past habitability of Mars, not all scientists are convinced. Jeffrey Catalano of Washington University in St. Louis and Kaushik Mitra of the University of Texas at San Antonio have proposed that Manganese oxide could have been formed on Mars without the need for atmospheric oxygen, through chemical processes with chlorine and bromine present on the planet.
NASA has conducted research revealing that Mars and Earth had similar origins, but evolved differently. Studies of meteorites from Mars suggest that both planets received water from similar planetary building blocks, although Mars did not recycle its atmospheric water in the same way as Earth.
Regardless, evidence of liquid water on Mars reinforces the theory of its past habitability. According to Manasvi Lingam, an astrobiologist at the Florida Institute of Technology, These findings provide evidence that the Red Planet may have been a suitable place for life.
Why is sea level rising, according to NASA?
The satellite data of the POT revealed that there was a worrying acceleration in the rise in average sea level between 1993 and 2023. This analysis, led by the US space agency, attributes the phenomenon mainly to global warmingalthough it also points out the influence of the climatic event The boy in the increase observed in 2022 and 2023.
NASA highlighted a positive variation of 105% in the rate of sea level rise. In detail, the annual increase went from 2.1mm between 1993 and 2003 to 4.3mm between 2013 and 2023, which represents an intensification of 1.1mm per year every decade.
Only between 2022 and 2023, sea level rose 0.76 cma significant increase compared to the drainage of approximately a quarter of the lake superior to the ocean in a year.
According to NASA, what were the main causes of the increase
Global warming is the main person responsible of sea level rise. As the planet warms, the polar caps melt, adding more water to the oceans. Furthermore, the thermal expansion of seawater contributes to this phenomenon. El Niño, with its intense conditions in the Pacific Ocean, It has also had a notable impact in recent years.
Sea level rise has serious consequences for coastal regions around the world. Among the most prominent threats are more frequent and intense flooding, coastal erosion and salinization of agricultural lands. These threats are intensified due to the acceleration of sea level rise, making the need for adaptation and mitigation measures even more urgent.
Global warming and the importance of taking urgent measures
To face these challenges, it is essential to implement urgent measures of both mitigation and adaptation. The reduction of emissions Greenhouse Gases (GHG) It is essential to stop global warming. Additionally, adaptation strategies are needed for coastal communities, including the construction of sea walls and barriers, the relocation of critical infrastructure, and the development of early warning systems for flooding.
Other important measures include artificial beach nourishment and intervention with protective structures such as breakwaters and breakwaters. These actions are vital to protect coastal communities and reduce the impact of sea level rise.
