Potential Life Spotted on Mars

Christopher Ulinfun, staff editor

On July 18, 2024, a rock sample, collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Perseverance rover, was found to contain evidence of past life on Mars. The sample is known as “Sapphire Canyon”, and it was retrieved from the Neretva Vallis valley, a river that flowed with water more than three billion years ago. The valley containing Sapphire Canyon, taken from “Chevaya Falls”, the name of the rock containing Sapphire Canyon, which was drilled out with NASA’s Perseverance rover, and later observed by thousands of scientists since July 2024.  Although not the green, shape-shifting Martians that are more familiar, the discovery of Sapphire Canyon has been the closest scientists have been to answering whether or not we are truly alone in the universe.   

The idea of other alien species has been questioned and researched for longer than anyone currently alive. Through many unique interpretations, we produce our own versions of other Martians, the most common of course being Martian Manhunter from DC comics and Marvin the Martian from Warner Bros. Both iconic characters have their own unique and wonderful designs that have shifted what we would expect a Martian to look like.  

"The interpretations of Martians in TV shows have skewed our expectations for extraterrestrial life forms. it’s very much incorrect,” said junior Joshua Li. “So many people, even if they don't think Martians will look like the ones on TV, will still have that idea of a complex, multicellular being existing on Mars or other planets. Other life forms are most likely going to be unicellular, especially given how young the universe is and the small chance that other planets have managed to develop multicellular life in this short time span of the universe's existence.”   

Humans  now expect all Martians to be tall, green-like figures with pure black or red eyes and of high intelligence, but that couldn’t be further from the truth with these discovered samples. Traces of microbial life are theorized to be discovered, traces of spot-like patterns, which have been deemed a potential fingerprint for microbial life. The possibility of any other form of potential life, whether Martian or not, being anything beyond a micro-sized organism is low. It's unlikely there may ever be a day for humans and human-sized Martians to interact with one another, but it doesn’t cut the idea of life or habitability on other planets besides Mars.  

If Mars, the planet known for being habitable, is discovered to be the opposite, there are still possible options most people don’t know. Europa, one of Jupiter’s many moons, is a key candidate for habitability. The presence of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus is likely in Europa’s ocean; in fact, the water under the moon’s chilling cold crust makes it very habitable.  

While it's nearly impossible, it's amazing to wonder what other aliens might be discovered on other actual planets, in this lifetime or another. The idea of a planet full of symbiotic organisms bonding with other forms of life sounds very fascinating. Of course, this refers to symbiotes from Marvel comics; if not that, maybe a different species that is more familiar, like a planet full of butterflies or populated by Kirbys. I know a particular English teacher who’d appreciate the latter.  

The potential for life on Mars has opened a whole new realm of ideas about what more could be discovered. Regardless of the size of these aliens or the improbable interactions with Aliens, humans should still appreciate the outstanding discovery made. People on planet Earth are one step closer to finding out what happened to Mars and one step closer to finding out how habitable Mars truly is today.