http://www.ted.com/talks/nathalie_cabrol_how_mars_might_hold_the_secret_to_the_origin_of_life
Mars: the red planet, fourth planet from the Sun in our solar system, and completely dry and void of life-right? This may not be the case, for there is evidence claiming that there may still be life on Mars, and it might actually hold the key to the origin of life on Earth. In her TED Talk, Nathalie Carbrol talked about how billions of years ago, asteroids and comets hit the Earth and Mars, and as a result pieces of Earth flew onto Mars, and pieces of Mars flew onto Earth. This means that both planets may host similar life and planetary conditions. After all, Mars used to have rivers, oceans, and deltas. But as Earth began to host life, Mars wasn't doing so well. Its atmosphere was stripped away; it lost its magnetic field; UV and solar rays beat down upon the planet, heating it up; and water was cast off into space, but some of it escaped underground. Nathalie and her team travel to extreme environments on Earth that are very similar to the conditions on Mars, and they recently discovered a lake that was home to millions, perhaps even billions, of microbes, and they lived in the water so the UV rays wouldn't affect them as much; they cannot be exposed to too much of it. That's when Nathalie realized that something similar was happening on Mars: when the water disappeared on the surface, microbes had no choice but to travel underground and live in the oceans beneath the surface, and they still reside there today. This opens us up to new opportunities, where other planets in our solar system and beyond might host microbes and other forms of life, and we are one step closer to learning who we are and where we come from. As I watched this TED Talk, I was instantly captivated from the moment Nathalie Carbrol began her speech. She spoke in a firm and certain tone, like she knew what she was talking about, and she emphasized the most important details so one would be sure to remember them. She was clear and precise, and I found the topic even more interesting just because of how she presented it. She would occasionally make hand gestures to emphasize certain points. As for the topic itself, I found it really interesting. Just imagine: Mars might be the future vision of Earth. Not only that, but there may still be life on the red planet after all, and not just in science fiction. Microbes, microscopic organisms, are currently living underground in underground lakes and ponds, and there is evidence that there's life on the planet's surface. I find this really fascinating, and I think that we should look into this more so that we can learn once and for all whether or not we are alone out there, and I'd like to work in that sort of field when I'm older. All in all, I found Nathalie Carbrol's TED Talk to be very interesting, as well as extremely informative. Her and her team's research has opened another door to our view on space and extraterrestrial organisms, and it opens us up to new opportunities to explore space and life and their ongoing mystery.
1 Comment
5/6/2015 02:46:42 am
Your reflection is wonderful. I would like to be able to know if there are other life forms on other planets. It would be great to know that we are not alone in this astronomical universe. Anyway, your reflection is wonderful. I can't wait until I see your presentation. I am sure that you will do amazing!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |