Are we alone? Astrobiology is the multidisciplinary science that will help determine this.

It seeks to
understand the emergence of life on earth and the environmental conditions that supports living
organism to discover and predict whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. In order to proceed, the
concept of what it means to have life must first be grasped. Biologists have comprised a list of
characteristics that all living things must possess. These include respiration, reproductivity, response to
stimuli, metabolism, excretion, growth and movement. Hypothetically, these scientists are on a quest to
find other planets like the Earth, as we know life exists here. A region called the habitable
zone. Traditionally, it is the region surrounding a star where temperatures and pressures can support
water in its liquid form on the surface of its planet. Why water? Essentially all living organisms thrive in
watery conditions, either inside and outside their cells in order to survive and act as a solvent for its
biochemical processes.

In July 2018, an exploration from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express project using the MARSIS
(Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) instrument has fueled hope that we
may be on the verge to finding other forms of life. A large body of water has been found under Mars
southern ice poles! This news is exciting because scientist have been long searching for the presence of
liquid water on Mars present today. Previous research found Mars’ surface to be covered with oceans,
rivers and lakes, however, due to its thin atmosphere the climate has changed causing it to be mostly
ice. Dr Claire Cousins, an astrobiologist from the University of St Andrews, said “It's plausible that the
water may be an extremely cold, concentrated brine, which would be pretty challenging for
life,". Organisms called extremophiles have been discovered on earth living in harsh conditions that
were once thought not to be optimal for life. As such, the big question is if there is a possibility of these
creatures present in this water.

Although we still don’t know the answer to that question, new clues are being found every day. In fact,
there is an anticipating 2020 ExoMars mission which will look for evidence of extant or extinct life on
Mars. After a nine-month journey a proton rocket will send a rover to travel and take samples deep
within the Martian Surface.
References
"The Search for Life on Mars." Natural History Museum. Accessed March 19, 2019.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/life-on-mars.html.

"Vast Lake of Liquid Water Discovered on Mars." Astronomy.com. Accessed March 19, 2019.
http://www.astronomy.com/news/2018/07/liquid-water-on-mars.

Cooper, Keith, and Keith Cooper. "Astrobio Top 10: Liquid Water Discovered on Mars." Astrobiology
Magazine. January 09, 2019. Accessed March 19, 2019. https://www.astrobio.net/news-
exclusive/astrobio-top-10-liquid-water-discovered-on-mars/.

"In the Zone: How Scientists Search for Habitable Planets." ScienceDaily. July 17, 2013. Accessed March
19, 2019. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130717175438.htm