Kathmandu, Aug 21: Scientists are exploring how life started on Earth, with one idea suggesting that repeated wet and dry periods helped create the right conditions for life’s beginnings. NASA’s Curiosity rover found well-preserved ancient mud cracks on Mars, which offer clues about similar cycles there. These mud cracks, with a hexagonal pattern, provide evidence of periodic wet and dry periods on the planet.

The hexagonal patterns were discovered in an area between layers rich in clay and layers containing salty minerals, indicating changes in the presence of water over time. As mud dries, it forms cracks, and on Mars, these cracks took on hexagonal shapes due to ongoing cycles of wetness and dryness. These cracks resisted erosion because of the presence of salty crusts, which preserved them for billions of years. This discovery suggests that such wet-dry cycles could be vital for the chemical reactions that could lead to the formation of life.

Curiosity’s findings are broadening our understanding of Mars’ potential to host life. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks tectonic plate movements, allowing its ancient history to be better preserved. This discovery presents a unique opportunity for scientists to study processes that might have contributed to the origins of life. While Earth’s surface changes over time, burying evidence of its prebiotic history, Mars’ lack of tectonic activity has allowed remnants of its past to endure. This makes Mars a fortunate neighbor that retains insights into the natural processes that may have kick-started life.