<p>The asteroid belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter might be holding the building blocks of life, according to a new study. The dwarf planet Ceres in the region has a hidden ocean which harbours such ingredients, the research published in the journal Science Advances says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ceres is the largest object in our Solar System’s asteroid belt, and its icy surface hides several small underground water bodies containing salt water. But the most fascinating discovery has been made around one of its largest craters, the Ertunet Crater.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Maria Cristina De Sanctis, a planetary scientist at Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics, and her colleagues found the basics of life here.</p>

<p>Hundreds of square miles of area around this crater are covered with a layer of organic chemicals, also called aliphatics. Researchers suggest that the chemicals must have formed only in the past few million years or so. This is because aliphatic compounds cannot sustain the constant bombardment of radiation in deep space for a long time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This has led them to conclude that these organic molecules formed in Ceres’s underground ocean within the last 10 million years or so.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/jwst-spots-unique-exoplanet-with-inflated-asymmetric-atmosphere-761897">JWST spots unique exoplanet with inflated 'asymmetric' atmosphere</a></p>

<p>De Sanctis and her colleagues created the Ceres sediment in their lab using data from NASA’s Dawn mission which flew by the dwarf planet in 2012. They added aliphatic organics to the mix, the hydrocarbon found near the Ertunet Crater.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To get an estimate of how long they have been there, they struck the mixture with powerful ultraviolet radiation and fast-moving ions.</p>

<p>This so-called “space weathering” can break down organic molecules. Turns out, the aliphatic compounds could not hold on for long, and this made the researchers realise that the substance had not been on Ceres for long either.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There is an abundance of this type of hydrocarbon on its surface, and so the researchers believe it must have gotten there within the last 10 million years.</p>

<p>"The organic compounds found at the Ertunet Crater might have evolved over the life span of Ceres’s deep ocean, lasting at least a few hundred million years,” De Sanctis and her colleagues write in their recent paper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides, simulations show that these organic molecules weren't delivered by any asteroid or comet and formed deep inside Ceres.</p>

<p>Ceres was once covered with a huge ocean of salt water beneath its crust, but today only pockets of it survive. Previous studies hint at the possibility that rock and salt water interacted with each other, releasing enough energy to create little pockets of habitability.</p>

<p>“This makes the region a preferred site for a future in situ or sample return mission to Ceres,” they write.&nbsp;</p>


The asteroid belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter might be holding the building blocks of life, according to a new study. The dwarf planet Ceres in the region has a hidden ocean which harbours such ingredients, the research published in the journal Science Advances says.

The asteroid belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter might be holding the building blocks of life, according to a new study. The dwarf planet Ceres in the region has a hidden ocean which harbours such ingredients, the research published in the journal Science Advances says. Ceres is the largest object in our Solar System’s asteroid belt, and its icy surface hides several small underground water bodies containing salt water. But the most fascinating discovery has been made around one of its largest craters, the Ertunet Crater. Maria Cristina De Sanctis, a planetary scientist at Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics, and her colleagues found the basics of life here. Hundreds of square miles of area around this crater are covered with a layer of organic chemicals, also called aliphatics. Researchers suggest that the chemicals must have formed only in the past few million years or so. This is because aliphatic compounds cannot sustain the constant bombardment of radiation in deep space for a long time. This has led them to conclude that these organic molecules formed in Ceres’s underground ocean within the last 10 million years or so. Also Read: JWST spots unique exoplanet with inflated 'asymmetric' atmosphere De Sanctis and her colleagues created the Ceres sediment in their lab using data from NASA’s Dawn mission which flew by the dwarf planet in 2012. They added aliphatic organics to the mix, the hydrocarbon found near the Ertunet Crater. To get an estimate of how long they have been there, they struck the mixture with powerful ultraviolet radiation and fast-moving ions. This so-called “space weathering” can break down organic molecules. Turns out, the aliphatic compounds could not hold on for long, and this made the researchers realise that the substance had not been on Ceres for long either. There is an abundance of this type of hydrocarbon on its surface, and so the researchers believe it must have gotten there within the last 10 million years. "The organic compounds found at the Ertunet Crater might have evolved over the life span of Ceres’s deep ocean, lasting at least a few hundred million years,” De Sanctis and her colleagues write in their recent paper. Besides, simulations show that these organic molecules weren't delivered by any asteroid or comet and formed deep inside Ceres. Ceres was once covered with a huge ocean of salt water beneath its crust, but today only pockets of it survive. Previous studies hint at the possibility that rock and salt water interacted with each other, releasing enough energy to create little pockets of habitability. “This makes the region a preferred site for a future in situ or sample return mission to Ceres,” they write.

Ceres, largest object in asteroid belt, shows signs of habitability near Ertunet Crater

<p>The European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has captured the intriguing but spooky 'smiley face'-shaped salt deposit on Mars, which has left the netizens stunned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the scientists, this salt deposit may have concealed the remnants of the last surviving life forms on Mars.</p>

<p>Mars had vast lakes and rivers billions of years ago, which disappeared during a catastrophic global freeze.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers have proposed that this emoticon-shaped salt deposit may be harbouring hardy microbes.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mars-once-had-water-but-now-its-barren-heres-what-led-to-its-mysterious-disappearance-756902">Mars once had water but now it's barren. Here's what led to its mysterious disappearance</a></p>

<p>The image has been captured by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter of the European Space Agency.</p>

<p>The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter is a Martian satellite which has been hunting signs of life on Mars and has taken stunning images of the chloride salt deposits on the arid surface of Mars.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_BKFY1tTju/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_BKFY1tTju/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_BKFY1tTju/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_BKFY1tTju/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by ESA - European Space Agency (@europeanspaceagency)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Scientists by studying these salt deposits can find clues regarding the past climate, geology, and potential habitability of the planet.</p>

<p>''Why so serious? Once a world of rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, Mars now reveals its secrets through chloride salt deposits found by our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. These deposits, remnants of ancient water bodies, could indicate habitable zones from billions of years ago. The discovery of nearly a thousand potential sites offers new insights into Mars' climate and potential for past life. Explore the Martian landscape in this carousel,'' read the post shared by ESA.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;China advances deadline for launch of Mars mission by two years</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-advances-deadline-for-launch-of-mars-mission-by-two-years-756739/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Explaining the salt deposits on Mars, planetary scientist at the University of Bern in Switzerland Valentin Bickel said, ''A cold era began when Mars lost its magnetic field and could no longer hold its atmosphere, leading to water evaporating, freezing, or becoming trapped within the surface. As the water disappeared over time, it left mineral fingerprints on the surface. Very salty waters could have become a haven for life, a beacon for habitable places on Mars. High concentrations of salt allow water to remain liquid at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius."</p>

<h2><strong>Here's how people reacted to the post</strong></h2>

<p>Reacting to the European Space Agency's post, one user said, ''That's so beautiful.'' "Why so cheesy," commented another.</p>

<p>''With this face shape, we have to wait for ridiculous theories,'' wrote a user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''It would be great if there were some scale references to get the size of these craters," another commented.</p>

<p>“The first one reminds me of Jack Skeleton,” said an Instagram user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Well, well, it looks familiar to me," wrote another. “Way too serious," said a user.&nbsp;</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:909,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:17,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2746}"><em bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:909,&quot;w&quot;:182,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2746}">(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has captured the intriguing but spooky 'smiley face'-shaped salt deposit on Mars, which has left the netizens stunned.

The European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has captured the intriguing but spooky 'smiley face'-shaped salt deposit on Mars, which has left the netizens stunned. According to the scientists, this salt deposit may have concealed the remnants of the last surviving life forms on Mars. Mars had vast lakes and rivers billions of years ago, which disappeared during a catastrophic global freeze. The researchers have proposed that this emoticon-shaped salt deposit may be harbouring hardy microbes. Also Read: Mars once had water but now it's barren. Here's what led to its mysterious disappearance The image has been captured by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter of the European Space Agency. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter is a Martian satellite which has been hunting signs of life on Mars and has taken stunning images of the chloride salt deposits on the arid surface of Mars. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ESA - European Space Agency (@europeanspaceagency) × Scientists by studying these salt deposits can find clues regarding the past climate, geology, and potential habitability of the planet. ''Why so serious? Once a world of rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, Mars now reveals its secrets through chloride salt deposits found by our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. These deposits, remnants of ancient water bodies, could indicate habitable zones from billions of years ago. The discovery of nearly a thousand potential sites offers new insights into Mars' climate and potential for past life. Explore the Martian landscape in this carousel,'' read the post shared by ESA. Watch: China advances deadline for launch of Mars mission by two years Explaining the salt deposits on Mars, planetary scientist at the University of Bern in Switzerland Valentin Bickel said, ''A cold era began when Mars lost its magnetic field and could no longer hold its atmosphere, leading to water evaporating, freezing, or becoming trapped within the surface. As the water disappeared over time, it left mineral fingerprints on the surface. Very salty waters could have become a haven for life, a beacon for habitable places on Mars. High concentrations of salt allow water to remain liquid at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius." Here's how people reacted to the post Reacting to the European Space Agency's post, one user said, ''That's so beautiful.'' "Why so cheesy," commented another. ''With this face shape, we have to wait for ridiculous theories,'' wrote a user. ''It would be great if there were some scale references to get the size of these craters," another commented. “The first one reminds me of Jack Skeleton,” said an Instagram user. “Well, well, it looks familiar to me," wrote another. “Way too serious," said a user. (With inputs from agencies)

A 'spooky smiley face' appears on Mars. Scientists say it's hiding life forms...

Ocean and its depths have always been a fascinating topic for us humans. New research has uncovered an amazing opportunity we might have missed. Moohita Kaur Garg tells you all you need to know.

New life forms on rare Pacific island

life-forms

Life Forms, News on Life Forms, stories on Life Forms, articles on Life Forms, Life Forms stories at Wion, Life Forms news, Life Forms latest news