Life on Mars

Life on Mars

Read an article about life on Mars to practise and improve your reading skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.

Reading text

A new study published in the journal Science shows definitive evidence of organic matter on the surface of Mars. The data was collected by NASA's nuclear-powered rover Curiosity. It confirms earlier findings that the Red Planet once contained carbon-based compounds. These compounds – also called organic molecules – are essential ingredients for life as scientists understand it.

The organic molecules were found in Mars's Gale Crater, a large area that may have been a watery lake over three billion years ago. The rover encountered traces of the molecule in rocks extracted from the area. The rocks also contain sulfur, which scientists speculate helped preserve the organics even when the rocks were exposed to the harsh radiation on the surface of the planet.
 
Scientists are quick to state that the presence of these organic molecules is not sufficient evidence for ancient life on Mars, as the molecules could have been formed by non-living processes. But it's still one of the most astonishing discoveries, which could lead to future revelations. Especially when one considers the other startling find that Curiosity uncovered around five years ago.
 
The rover analyses the air around it periodically, and in 2014 it found the air contained another of the most basic organic molecules and a key ingredient of natural gas: methane. One of the characteristics of methane is that it only survives a few hundred years. This means that something, somewhere on Mars, is replenishing the supply. According to NASA, Mars emits thousands of tons of methane at a time. The level of methane rises and falls at seasonal intervals in the year, almost as if the planet is breathing it.
 
NASA suspects the methane comes from deep under the surface of the planet. The variations in temperature on the surface of Mars cause the molecule to flow upwards at higher or lower levels. For example, in the Martian winter the gas could get trapped in underground icy crystals. These crystals, called clathrates, melt in the summer and release the gas. However, the source of the methane is still a complete mystery.
 
The world of astrobiology considers both of these studies as historical milestones. According to this information, Mars is not a dead planet. On the contrary, it is quite active and may be changing and becoming more habitable.
 
Of course, this means further research is necessary. Scientists say they need to send new equipment to Mars, equipment that can measure the air and soil with more precision. There are already missions underway. The European Space Agency's ExoMars ship lands in 2020 and will be able to drill into the ground on Mars to analyse what it finds. Additionally, NASA is sending another Mars Rover in the same year to collect samples of Martian soil and return them to Earth.
 
The possibility of life on Mars has fascinated humans for generations. It has been the subject of endless science-fiction novels and films. Are we alone in the universe or have there been other life forms within our Solar System? If the current missions to the Red Planet continue, it looks as if we may discover the answer very soon. 

Discussion

Download
Worksheet69.08 KB

Language level

Average: 4.6 (35 votes)
Do you need to improve your English reading skills?
Join thousands of learners from around the world who are improving their English reading skills with our online courses.

Submitted by meknini on Sat, 16/07/2022 - 05:20

Permalink

Mars is very much an unchartered territory although progresses have been made, they're mainly focusing only on certain areas as other areas are still deemed unsafe due to unpredictability of weather patterns and other unknown phenomena. Thus to speculate whether men are going to live there one day is a debate between the overly optimist and a rational commoner. The scientific community would argue that extensive researches and findings have been made in recent years giving lights to the many hopefuls minded that one day we are going to colonize. The common folks might say that there are still too many unknowns and scientists are just keeping up their spirits so as to keep on going digging into the abyss of the undiscovered. Would common men live on Mars? I highly doubt it, but would scientists set research centers like they do in the artic and on ISS - International Space Station? Maybe. If we don't yet have technology or means to live comfortably in the artic which is on earth, I am not sure whether we would have one that enable us to conquer Mars. So, to stay during short trips might it be for research or vacation, there's possibility, to live there like living permanently, it's unclear but highly probable no.

Submitted by jyoti Chaudhary on Fri, 03/06/2022 - 12:12

Permalink

yes, one day it is possible that people will live on Mars. Scientists work very hard and it is possible to stay on mars in the future.

Submitted by tuguu4 on Thu, 14/04/2022 - 23:33

Permalink

This is endless topic. The people are brain washed by media which means hollywood movies etc. It is unbelievable that people will live on Mars for the next 100 years. There are two main problem. First one is economical problem that means live on mars is require too much expense. Second is scientific advancement that means our technology development too far from live on Mars.

Submitted by Suraj paliwal on Wed, 27/10/2021 - 06:20

Permalink

Yes, I think one day we will live in Mars. There is too much discovery about this planet. I can imagine that we will live one day. Many private organisations are doing great things about space.
I'm not sure when it happened but many scientists do hard work on it.

Profile picture for user Hennadii

Submitted by Hennadii on Sun, 11/07/2021 - 12:21

Permalink
Well, it's hard to imagine from now will people live on Mars or not. But I believe in human persistence and I read Andy Weir's novel "The Martian", so ... if we still will have potatoes and Mark Watney it may be possible. Jokes aside, I think we can do it. Seriously. All we need are time, desire, and money. The other question - why we should? I mean, just leave our scientist-guys aside (they definitely want that desperately) and try to answer the question - "What we are trying to find there?" Something valuable? Gold, platinum, diamonds? Do we really need them so much to spend such a huge amount of money to reach Mars? Maybe we should have another look at our home planet? Maybe we need first of all to take care of the blue planet before heading the red one? Clean all garbage we made, return the forests, stop killing wild animals, finally win poverty and starvation, and of course, all this "Mars money" can be spent to fight deadly diseases. I'm sure, before leaving home we need to check is it all right here?
Profile picture for user danisep

Submitted by danisep on Fri, 23/04/2021 - 04:15

Permalink
I think that yes, someday people will live on mars but though it seems like science is doing a great job and is advancing quickly, the live on Mars like we live here on earth are far away. there are many challenges to surmount yet. I think that there are many secrets to discover about that planet. The future is so unpredictable that when I think about it, it blows my mind about the weird and interesting that could be.

Submitted by Ehsan on Wed, 10/03/2021 - 06:04

Permalink
A new rover landed on Mars a few days ago and send some videos and pictures to the earth. Also, it did an excavation. But it has not shown any sign from alive creatures. The speed of human progress in all sciences is high. Astrobiology is no exception to this. So yes, I think humans not only will live on Mars one day, but they will conquer other planets as well. The scary part of the story will start somewhere that inhabitants of the other planets will defend from their planet and it will make an Interplanetary war. And we don't understand their power yet.

Submitted by Mounes Shlola on Wed, 21/10/2020 - 16:24

Permalink
Hello, I came here looking for some advice. I've noticed that while completing task 2, I tend to use very primitive variants of the given words. I've also noticed this in my day-to-day life, as I constantly use the same words and I feel like my English is starting to become very dull. I would really appreciate any help as the English language has recently become very crucial for me and for what I do. (By the way, should I be asking this question at other exercises, namely speaking and/or writing?) (My vocabulary is probably more advanced than usual, but that's because I am trying my best. The reason I am requesting advice is because I want to speak using good vocabulary without taking up too much effort.) Thanks Mounes

Hello Mounes,

There are many different ways you could do this, and I'd encourage you to experiment with different methods to see which work best for you. But for a start I'd recommend first identifying some words and phrases that you'd like to use more. You could find these by listening to what other people say or reading what they've written -- listen or look for words and phrases that impress you or that you think would be useful.

Make a list of 6–10 such words and phrases and, if possible, write out the sentences you heard or saw them in. You could then look them up in a dictionary to see how they are used in other contexts and thus get a better sense for what they mean and how they are used. A collocations dictionary could be particularly useful for this.

Then give yourself a week or so to try and use these phrases in your speaking and writing. If you can't find a situation to use them in your natural life, you can imagine one and speak to yourself or write about it.

Then repeat this process with a new set of words. As you do this, be sure to revise the words and phrases in your past lists so that you have a better chance of remembering them.

I hope this helps you. We'd love to hear how you get on with this.

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team