How Mars Might Hold the Secret to the Origin of Life

Explore the fascinating search for microbial life on Mars in this 16-minute TED talk by planetary scientist Nathalie Cabrol. Discover how the extreme environments of remote Andean lakes serve as Earth-based analogs for Mars' surface 3.5 billion years ago. Learn about the potential connections between microbial adaptations in these harsh conditions and the search for life on the Red Planet. Gain insights into how studying these microorganisms might reveal clues about the origins of life and the factors that lead some microbial pathways towards civilization while others reach evolutionary dead ends.