One key to understanding life on Mars could be
found deep below the surface of our own planet, in
the dark waters of ancient saltwater caves. I’m Jim
Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet.
In the absence of sunlight bacteria in these
caves have developed a special ability to derive
energy from hydrogen sulfide, and other chemicals in
the water. Tom Iliffe is a veteran cave diver, and a
professor of marine biology at Texas A&M University.
In the background we are listening to the sounds of
divers in saltwater caves.
“Unlike surface ecosystems where organisms
feed off of plants or other animals that feed on
plants, there are no plants in the underwater caves
because there’s no light. Instead of using light as
a primary energy source, we have bacteria that may
use chemical reactions as a source of energy.”
Because these bacteria evolved under such harsh
conditions, Dr. Iliffe believes they could resemble
the kind of organisms which might survive on Mars.
“Life in caves is essentially life in extreme
environments. We’re talking about environments where
there’s no light, very limited food resources,
considerable isolation of the habitat. These may be
conditions that are similar to conditions present on
other planets in our solar system. Recently there’s
been discoveries of possibilities of water on Mars,
and water in the form of springs coming up and
seeping out of the rock. If there is life on Mars,
perhaps it’s life down in underwater caves on Mars,
similar to the underwater caves that we’re diving in
here on planet Earth.”