Mars-Like Mexico: Cuatro Cienegas Coahuila
Cuatro Cienegas Coahuila pools have sedimentary structures of organisms that are most likely similar to what is found in Mars, according to a recently published article.
Mexico is known for its historical tourist spots, and most places continue to be the most visited for Americans and other travelers from around the world. Beaches and resorts on the Pacific and Caribbean to exciting activities always put Mexico at the top of any travel list.
Mexico has many to offer to its travelers. They will not only be attracted to the beauty of Mexico's tourist spots, but they will also enjoy the story in every structure.
Mars-Like Place in Mexico
There is an area in Mexico that is almost similar to the red planet or Mars. These are the Cuatro Cienega Coahuila pools that form the so-called stromatolites that are created and developed by the activity of microbial populations.
These pools or areas are inferior in nutrients but are very rich in terms of minerals, which is very similar to the red planet. This caught the attention of the ecologist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Valeria Souza.
Investigation of Valeria Souza and Her Team
Valeria Souza created a team to investigate the stromatolites in the pools. They carried out studies on the genome of the bacterial communities that can survive even if the pools of Cuatro Cienega lack nutrients.
Souza and her team firmly believed that the place could be one of the best terrestrial models in studying the land and other behaviors of the red planet. Not only that, but they also found out almost 300 pools, some lagoons, rivers, and more.
It is for this reason that they called the place as a natural laboratory for astrobiology. This means that it is possible to conduct many studies in the area as its primitive environment is similar to what is most likely to be found on Mars.
Martian Analog Studies
An Earth Science teacher Paola Molina Sevilla said: "Martian analog (is) a site on Earth whose environmental conditions, geological characteristics, biological attributes or a combination of these, approximate in some way to those expected or observed on Mars."
This method of study will significantly help those who are studying Mars. These places, called Martian Analogs, can be their simulation for the experiment. This will also serve later to solve the mysteries on the red planet that yet to be known.
There have been many studies conducted in the previous decades about Mars. NASA and other scientists are trying to figure out if the red planet is the same as Earth. It is estimated that planet Mars is 225 million kilometers away from Earth and making it hard for NASA to explore the red planet.
Moreover, some Mexican Scientists are working with NASA in exploring the red planet through Martian analogs like in Cuatro Cienegas. They are also stressing out that places like these in Mexico should be preserved.
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