The habitability of early Mars’s subsurface to methanogenic microorganisms was assessed using a planetary ecosystem model that couples a subsurface biosphere to the atmospheric chemistry and climate. Mars’s subsurface was initially likely habitable, but the biosphere would have cooled the planet down, potentially compromising its long-term habitability.
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This is a summary of: Sauterey, B. et al. Early Mars habitability and global cooling by H2-based methanogens. Nat. Astron. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01786-w (2022).
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Biogenic climate change could have driven the demise of life on early Mars. Nat Astron 6, 1239–1240 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01787-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01787-9
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