一次“CT扫描”有了意外发现 “祝融号”找到藏在火星地下的“秘密日记”

Core Viewpoint - The recent discoveries made by China's Zhurong rover on Mars have reignited discussions about the potential for life on the planet, particularly due to findings that suggest a history of significant water activity on Mars [1][6]. Group 1: Discoveries and Findings - The Zhurong rover conducted a "CT scan" of the southern Utopia Planitia, revealing well-structured sedimentary layers resembling those found in Earth's shallow seas and large lakes [3]. - These sedimentary layers are estimated to have formed around 750 million years ago, extending the timeline for water activity on Mars by several hundred million years, thus prolonging the planet's "youth" [6]. Group 2: Implications for Life on Mars - The findings raise the question of whether the search for life on Mars has become more promising, as evidence suggests that Mars may have once had conditions suitable for life [8]. - Historical attempts to find life on Mars date back to 1877, with significant discoveries such as potential organic materials found in Martian meteorites in 1996, although these findings were controversial [10]. - Recent discoveries by NASA's Perseverance rover in ancient riverbeds indicate potential signs of life, with organic carbon and iron oxides possibly providing energy sources for ancient microorganisms [13]. Group 3: Environmental Conditions and Life Potential - Many Earth microorganisms can survive in conditions similar to those on Mars, supporting the hypothesis that life could have adapted to Martian conditions [14]. - Scientists speculate that if life ever existed on Mars, it likely remained in a primitive state, similar to early Earth bacteria, and may have retreated underground or become extinct due to environmental changes [16][18]. - Future missions, such as China's Tianwen-3, aim to further investigate the mysteries of life on Mars [18].