[meteorite-list] Extreme Life on Earth Could Survive on Mars, Too

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars-hospitable-life-earth-100608.html

Extreme Life on Earth Could Survive on Mars, Too 
space.com
08 June 2010

A new discovery of bacterial life in a Martian-like environment on Earth
suggests our neighboring red planet could also be hospitable to some
form of microbial life.

Researchers found methane-eating bacteria that appear to be thriving in
a unique spring called Lost Hammer on Axel Heiberg Island in the extreme
north of Canada.

This spring is similar to possible past or present springs on Mars, the
scientists say, so it hints that microbial life could potentially exist 
there, too. There is no firm evidence that Mars does or ever did host life, 
however.

The Lost Hammer spring is extremely salty - so much so that the water
doesn't freeze, even though temperatures are below freezing. The water
has no consumable oxygen in it, but there are big bubbles of methane
that rise to the surface.

And yet, the researchers found unique anaerobic organisms creatures that 
don't need oxygen to survive - thriving in the spring.  The hardy organisms 
most likely breathe sulfate instead of oxygen, the researchers said.

"The Lost Hammer spring is the most extreme subzero and salty
environment we've found," said researcher Lyle Whyte, a microbiologist
Canada's McGill University.

In fact, the temperatures in this part of Canada are even harsher than
those found in many places on Mars.

"There are places on Mars where the temperature reaches relatively warm
-10 to 0 degrees and perhaps even above 0ºC," Whyte said, "and on Axel
Heiberg it gets down to -50, easy."

And recent data suggests Mars also has methane and frozen water
<http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090115-mars-methane-news.html>.

"If you have a situation where you have very cold salty water, it could
potentially support a microbial community, even in that extreme harsh
environment <http://www.livescience.com/animals/050207_extremophiles.html>."

The discovery is detailed in the International Society for Microbial
Ecology Journal.