The Canadian Arctic is one of the closest analogues to Mars on Earth. Researchers have tested the effectiveness of new techniques to detect the existence of life, in the form of tiny microorganisms in the region. This method may one day help astronauts identify alien or alien life that may exist on Mars, even in other worlds in the Solar System.
"The search for a life is the main focus of planetary exploration, but there has been no direct life detection instrumentation since the 70's, during the Viking mission to Mars.We want to show proof-of-concept that microbial life can be directly detected and identified with highly portable, , and low-energy, "says Jacqueline Goordial, a co-author of a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.
Today, instruments designed to find alien beings in another world, looking for biosignatures, are just proof of life's existence. The instrument tends to be relatively large, heavy, and needs enormous energy, making it unsuitable for missions to areas such as Europa and Enceladus - the moons of Jupiter and Saturn - which are the main targets for further exploration.
In this regard, Goordial and colleagues from McGill University examined the feasibility of using several small instruments to detect and analyze life. They use cheap and light technology in new ways. The study then produced a unique 'life detection platform' capable of analyzing soil samples for signs of biological activity. The team's method is tested in the Canadian Arctic because it must be able to function in very cold conditions.
"Mars is a very cold and dry planet, with a permafrost field very similar to the high Arctic in Canada, so we chose an area about 900 kilometers from the North Pole as a Mars analogue, to sample and test our method, Goordial said. The researchers found that their technology can not only function in harsh environments, but also effectively detect microbial life in the field, and isolate organisms that have never been cultured before.
However, the platform can not yet be incorporated into the space mission. "Humans are required to do most of the experiments in this study, while the mission of detecting life on other planets needs to be done robotically," said Goordial, quoted by the International Business Times.