Perchlorate on the Red Planet: How a Toxin in Martian Soil Can Fuel Future Exploration
The NASA Phoenix Mars Lander assessed the history of water in the Martian arctic, searched for evidence of a habitable zone, and appraised the biological potential of the ice-soil boundary.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
One finding from Mars exploration is that the Red Planet is a haven of pervasive perchlorate.
On one hand, the carpet of perchlorate chemistry found on Mars may boost the chances that microbial life exists on the Red Planet. However, perchlorates are also perilous to the health of future crews destined to explore that way-off world.
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