Researchers from Harvard University (USA) have discovered a “life epoch” lasting for 200 million years on Mars.
According to a publication in the scientific journal Nature Communications, the research team led by Dr. Sarah Steele from Harvard University (USA) found that the magnetic field of Mars could have lasted up to 200 million years longer than previously estimated.
This discovery plays a crucial role in the evolution of extraterrestrial life.
Mars may have had higher evolutionary life than we thought – (Photo: NASA).
Many previous studies have shown that Mars was formed similarly to Earth, including abundant liquid water and a powerful magnetic field strong enough to protect everything—including life—from the harmful effects of cosmic radiation.
According to Space.com, planetary scientists previously believed that Mars’ global magnetic field had died over 4.1 billion years ago. This was attributed to large impact basins formed during the bombardment period from 4.1 to 3.7 billion years ago.
However, Dr. Steele and her colleagues argue that these signs have been misinterpreted.
Their analysis of parts of the famous Allan Hills 84001 meteorite from Mars indicates that there is evidence of magnetic reversals recorded by iron-rich minerals.
A computer model further supports this hypothesis, suggesting that the lack of a magnetic field at the time of the formation of impact basins was not due to the magnetic field being turned off, but rather a temporary weakening caused by magnetic pole reversals, which have also occurred multiple times on Earth.
The study also suggests that with new data, Mars’ magnetic field must have existed until 3.9 billion years ago.
This is significant because this 200 million-year period overlaps with the time when the planet’s river systems and oceans were still submerged in water.
Thus, life here may have had an additional 200 million years to thrive in a favorable environment and could have evolved beyond what we previously thought.
Moreover, if the magnetic field disappeared later, the atmosphere on Mars would have maintained a state similar to that of Earth for a significantly longer time.
“This means that the timeline of scientists regarding changing conditions on Mars may need some adjustments,” the research team stated.
