New research suggests the same conditions that created the cracks could have been favorable to the emergence of microscopic life. Scientists aren’t entirely sure how life began on Earth, but one prevailing theory posits that persistent cycles of wet and dry conditions on land helped assemble the
The minerals prevalent in each area reflect different eras in Gale Crater’s history. The transitional zone between them offers a record of a period when long dry spells became prevalent and the lakes and rivers that once filled the crater began to recede.
The hexagonal cracks in the transitional zone kept forming even as new sediment was deposited, indicating that the wet-dry conditions continued over long periods of time. ChemCam, Curiosity’s precision laser instrument, confirmed a hardy crust of sulfates along the cracks’ edges, which isn’t too surprising given the proximity of the sulfate region. The salty crust is what made the mud cracks resistant to erosion, preserving them for billions of years.
Although water is essential to life, a careful balance is needed – not too much water, not too little. The kinds of conditions that sustain microbial life – those that allow a long-lasting lake, for example – aren’t the same as the conditions scientists think are required to promote chemical reactions that might lead to life.
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