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Alien life could lurk on Mars beneath protective ice, study suggests

Space
Summary
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68% Informative

NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory says conditions needed for photosynthesis to occur on Mars could exist beneath the surface of dusty ice at the Red Planet’s mid-latitudes.

The study suggests that a thick enough layer of ice could filter out harsh radiation from the sun but also allow enough sunlight through to allow photosynthesis.

While 71% of Earth 's surface is covered in liquid-water oceans, Mars appears to be a mostly dry landscape.

Scientists think Mars lost its liquid water billions of years ago .

' Cryoconite holes' form when dust and sediment on top of the ice melt into the ice because it is darker than the ice.

Liquid water forms around the dark dust inside the ice due to heating from sunlight, even if the ice above is frozen, like a lid.

This happens because the ice is translucent, allowing sunlight to penetrate below the surface.

VR Score

85

Informative language

92

Neutral language

80

Article tone

formal

Language

English

Language complexity

53

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

long-living

External references

no external sources

Source diversity

no sources