Life on Mars? Study finds traces of life may still lie beneath the planet's frozen surface

A new study has now found that microscopic remnants of long-dead organisms may still rest frozen in Mars' ice, enduring far longer than previously believed, even under extreme and life-hostile conditions. The findings indicate that bacterial traces could survive up to 50 million years of cosmic radiation if sealed in pure ice, giving hope of uncovering biological evidence beneath the frozen surface of Mars.

In order to get findings, the team recreated conditions similar to the Mars environment in the lab using E. coli bacteria and pure water ice. The samples were frozen at minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit and exposed to a high amount of radiation similar to what Mars has been experiencing for millions of years, according to a report in The Earth.

How results show life on Mars?

When the result came, it surprised the researchers, showing over 10 per cent of the amino acids – the molecules that form proteins – remained unharmed. “Fifty million years is far greater than the expected age for some current surface ice deposits on Mars. That means if there are bacteria near the surface of Mars, future missions can find it," said Christopher House of Penn State.

Samples containing Martian soil or rock broke down much more quickly, while pure ice offered protection by trapping harmful particles before they could spread. When radiation strikes ice mixed with minerals, it generates reactive radicals that move freely and destroy amino acids. In contrast, solid ice keeps these radicals frozen in place, minimising damage.

“While in solid ice, harmful particles created by radiation get frozen in place and may not be able to reach organic compounds,” Pavlov said. This shows that, the pure ice, without rocky soil, there could be a possibility of life on Mars.

Researchers also discovered that clay minerals such as montmorillonite provide no protection—in fact, they may worsen molecular decay by forming thin liquid films that allow radiation to travel more easily. Temperature proved a crucial factor too: under warmer, Mars-like conditions, amino acids deteriorated faster than in the frigid, Europa-like environment.

At higher temperatures, radiation produces more mobile oxidants that rapidly react with organic matter. Interestingly, water content also played an unexpected role, contrary to earlier assumptions that more water speeds destruction; the new study found a more complex relationship at work.

The radicals which were formed in pure ice were unable to move easily. However, it could still travel through thin liquid-like layers in minerals with small amounts of water and break molecules apart faster. The result indicated why ice, even after exposure, is still a better long-term protector than wet clay or rock mixtures.

The study also indicates that if microbial life once existed on Mars, its chemical traces might still be hidden beneath the planet’s icy surface. Pure ice, researchers found, can preserve organic material for tens of millions of years, potentially long enough for future human missions to uncover it.

Backed by NASA’s Planetary Science Division and scientists from Penn State, the research underscores one key insight: the search for life’s remnants should focus on ice rather than rock. The clues to Mars’s biological past may already be there, locked in the frozen layers, preserved across cosmic time and shielded from decay.