Astrobiology from Mars

Life on Mars - Visual Investigation and implications to Planetary Protection

by Harry Rabb, Kirkkonummi - Finland

Our Solar system was born 4.6 billion years ago. Year 2013 chemist Steven Benner presented a theory that after birth of the solar system, the best place for the birth of life was the planet Mars. The best conditions for forming the RNA-molecule were on Mars. The RNA works with the DNA in our every cell. According to theory the life in form of Microbes, including DNA and RNA, would have been transported to Earth with meteorites. When an asteroid hits a planet it can kick off stones, carrying microbes, to space. And later these stones, meteorites, can hit another habitable planet, like Earth. It has been estimated that about 5 billion meteorites, originated from Mars, have been hitting Earth during 4 billion years. After birth of Solar System Mars also cooled earlier than Earth, so the conditions were good for birth of life in Mars much before the Earth. After the birth of the solar system Mars planet was warm planet with oceans, lakes and rivers maybe for 1 to 3 billion years. Also the atmosphere of Mars was thicker. If life was born in Mars, could the evolution process have started there?

Latest news I write to blog linked below. The citizen science study during years 2013-2022 is also available as downloadable 150 page PDF in link below. The Mars image archive contains all images of the study with high resolution. I presented study in University of Nevada 14th of April 2018, in conference Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology.