If there is life on
Mars, it's not so far-fetched to believe that the Martian life may have in common
genetic roots of life on Earth. More
than 3.5 billion years ago, a lot of space meteors ricocheted around the solar
system, passing the same between the two young planets. This galactic game of
ping-pong left its traces on the Earth and on Mars, maybe then creates a common
genetic foundation between the two planets.
This theory has great
appeal for Christopher Carr, a research scientist in the MIT Department of
Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.
Carr builds a DNA
sequencer, it is hoped that one day they will be sent to Mars, where they will
analyze soil and ice samples for traces of DNA and other evidence of life.
DNA sequencing may be
of interest in places such as on Jupiter - "Europe" where liquid
oceans may harbor signs of life. Even more promising, Carr says, there can be
such a place as "Enceladus", a moon of Saturn, scientists believe it
could be a potential habitable area and also has a much less intense radiation.
"I think someday
we will see the sequencing of DNA in space," says Carr. "Hopefully
we'll get a chance to be a part of."
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