Earth microbe grows in simulated Martian conditions

Researchers have demonstrated that the salt-loving archaeon Haloferax volcanii can grow under conditions simulating the Martian subsurface. In a 160-day experiment, the microorganism thrived in a concentrated brine environment characterized by low atmospheric pressure, an oxygen-free atmosphere, and high carbon dioxide levels.

The study, published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, utilized a vacuum chamber set to 24 millibars, which is approximately 2% of Earth's sea-level pressure. The microbes were provided with either nitrate or perchlorate, chemicals found on Mars, to use for respiration in the absence of oxygen.

While the results show that known extremophiles can survive and metabolize in such environments, the authors emphasize that this does not prove life exists on Mars. Instead, the findings suggest that localized hypersaline environments beneath the Martian surface could potentially support microbial metabolism.