The chances of finding aliens may be impossible, if new research is to be believed.
A new study suggests that the surface of Mars may contain toxic chemical compounds called perchlorates which destroy bacteria in the presence of UV light.
The findings suggest that Mars may be more uninhabitable than previously thought, and could have implications for human exploration on the red planet.
Future missions will have to dig deep underground to find past or present life if it lurks there, the researchers said.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh detected perchlorates on the surface of Mars, raising questions about the habitability of the planet.
To understand the impact of these chemicals, the researchers investigated their effect on Bacillus subtilis – a common bacteria often found on spacecrafts.
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