Climate change is one of the major issues around the world, mainly because of the consequences it entails. However, a new study has shown that the red planet, Mars may suffer from the extinction of life for the same reason.
In a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, Scientists have determined that in the early days of Mars, about 3.7 to 4.1 billion years ago, it was probably favorable for life.namely, simple microbial organisms that consumed hydrogen and carbon dioxide and emitted methane.
Nonetheless, Early Mars was warmer and wetter than the cold, dry conditions it is known for today. which initially made hydrogen abundant in the Martian atmosphere. According to a press release from the University of Arizona, such conditions would have provided an “adequate supply” of food for microbes around 4 billion years ago.
“We think that at that time, Mars might have been a little cooler than Earth, but not as cold as it is now, with an average temperature likely above the freezing point of water,” said university professor and study author Regis Ferrier.
The problem these microbes would face, according to the study, is that the atmosphere of Mars has basically disappeared, it has been completely diluted.so his power supply would be gone and the temperature would drop drastically.
“While modern Mars is described as an ice cube covered in dust, we imagine early Mars as a rocky planet with a porous crust saturated with liquid water. which probably formed lakes and rivers, maybe even seas or oceans,” the scientists say.
This context becomes another argument for scientists who have been warning about the detrimental effects of anthropogenic climate change on Earth for decades, but it has become clear that the scenario is not quite the same.
Unlike Mars, Earth’s atmosphere is made up mostly of nitrogen with a smaller proportion of oxygen. These molecules interact differently than molecules in Mars’ atmosphere, so when methane is released on Earth, it traps heat on the planet and The impact of greenhouse gases on Earth is not caused by microbes, but by humans burning fossil fuels.
Source: La Opinion
David Ortiz is an opinionated and well-versed author, known for his thought-provoking and persuasive writing on various matters. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he shares his insight and perspective on today’s most pressing issues. David’s unique voice and writing style make his articles a must-read for those seeking a different point of view.