A groundbreaking new astrobiology study has reignited debate over whether microbial life could exist beneath the surface of Mars today. Scientists cultivated salt-loving extremophile microorganisms inside specialized chambers replicating the freezing temperatures, high radiation, and briny chemical composition expected in the Martian subsurface. Over a 160-day observation period, the microbes did not merely survive in dormancy—they actively reproduced. The findings dramatically expand the potential habitability zones on Mars and sharpen the focus for upcoming sample-return and deep-drilling planetary missions.
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