Mercury's surface
Temperatures on Mercury can reach 430 degrees Celsius during the day and drop to -180 degrees Celsius at night.
With the new discovery, scientists believe that even in the harshest conditions of Mercury, life is still capable of surviving.
According to a report published in the journal Planetary Science , a team of scientists from the Planetary Science Institute (Arizona, USA) discovered that salt glaciers on Mercury may create conditions suitable for life, similar to some of the harshest environments on Earth and where microbial life thrives.
"Specific salt compounds on Earth create small but habitable spaces, such as the conditions in the arid Atacama Desert in Chile," said report author Alexis Rodriguez of the Planetary Science Institute.
Based on what happens on Earth, experts believe that the near-surface regions of Mercury may be more suitable for life than the planet's harsh surface.
Places like the one beneath Mercury's salt glaciers also suggest that the solar system may have so-called "depth-dependent Goldilocks zones."
If the Goldilocks zone refers to the area that is capable of supporting life, the "depth-dependent Goldilocks zone" refers to areas on planets or other celestial bodies that can allow life to appear at specific depths and provide the most suitable living conditions.
"The groundbreaking discovery of salt glaciers on Mercury has expanded our understanding of the environmental peripheries that could allow life to thrive," said team leader Rodriguez.
Source link
Comment (0)