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Mars was once covered by deep sea that may have harbored life

The research suggests that conditions allowing the emergence of life were present on Mars long before Earth.

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Mars was once the BLUE planet - covered by deep seas that may have harbored life. (NASA via SWNS)

By Alice Clifford via SWNS

Mars was once the BLUE planet - covered by a deep sea that may have harbored life, according to new research.

The study shows that around 4.5 billion years ago there was enough water for the entire planet to be covered in a 300-meter deep ocean.

The research shows that it could have even reached one kilometer in depth.

The discovery, published in the journal Science Advances, shows that Mars homed even more water than Earth today.

These huge expanses of water were brought to the planet through icy asteroids that crashed into its surface.

Not only did they bring oceans, but they brought biologically important molecules such as amino acids.

via GIPHY

Amino acids are key molecules in the creation of life, forming proteins which act as vital building blocks for life.

Dr. Martin Bizzarro, from the Centre for Star and Planet Formation at the University of Copenhagen, said: ā€œAt this time, Mars was bombarded with asteroids filled with ice. It happened in the first 100 million years of the planet's evolution.

ā€œAnother interesting angle is that the asteroids also carried organic molecules that are biologically important for life.ā€

The research suggests that conditions allowing the emergence of life were present on Mars long before Earth.

Bizzarro said: ā€œThis happened within Marsā€™s first 100 million years. After this period, something catastrophic happened for potential life on Earth.

ā€œIt is believed that there was a gigantic collision between the Earth and another Mars-sized planet. It was an energetic collision that formed the Earth-Moon system and, at the same time, wiped out all potential life on Earth."

The secret of the planetā€™s history was found hiding in a meteorite that was once part of Marsā€™ original crust.

Unlike the Earthā€™s surface, where tectonic plates are in constant motion, Marsā€™ surface never moves.

via GIPHY

Bizzarro said: ā€œPlate tectonics on Earth erased all evidence of what happened in the first 500 million years of our planetā€™s history.

ā€œThe plates constantly move and are recycled back and destroyed into the interior of our planet.

ā€œIn contrast, Mars does not have plate tectonics such that planetā€™s surface preserves a record of the earliest history of the planet.ā€

Most researchers agree that there was once water on Mars, but just how much is a constant debate.

This new finding brings scientists closer to finding out if Mars has ever harbored life.

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