Earliest Life on Mars Could Have Self-Destructed in a Climate Catastrophe

[Elderberry]

Science Alert By Ben Turner 14 October 2022

Ancient microbial life on Mars could have destroyed the planet's atmosphere through climate change, which ultimately led to its extinction, new research has suggested.

The new theory comes from a climate modeling study that simulated hydrogen-consuming, methane-producing microbes living on Mars roughly 3.7 billion years ago. At the time, atmospheric conditions were similar to those that existed on ancient Earth during the same period.

So as ancient Martian microbes ate hydrogen (a potent greenhouse gas) and produced methane (a significant greenhouse gas on Earth but less potent than hydrogen) they slowly ate into their planet's heat-trapping blanket, eventually making Mars so cold that it could no longer evolve complex life.

More: https://www.sciencealert.com/earliest-life-on-mars-could-have-self-destructed-in-a-climate-catastrophe

[rustynail]

And Tiny Monkeys flew out the Martian microbes butts.

[Smokin Joe]

Of course, the absence of Van Allen belts didn't affect the loss of atmosphere at all...

[240B]

HEADLINE soon: CLIMATE CHANGE KILLED MARS!!
Question: So there were industrial stage humans on Mars? Or did Climate Change occur naturally as it has done on Earth for billions of years?

[Gefn]

 

[Kamaji]

Of course, the absence of Van Allen belts didn't affect the loss of atmosphere at all...

Exactly.

[GtHawk]

Meh, I say they all left Mars and came to Earth, we are the Martians.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

If only they listened to Greta!

[Wingnut]

So, that explains why Uncle Martin came here.

[Smokin Joe]

So, that explains why Uncle Martin came here.

Maybe he just gave them the finger...