People have always wondered about the origins of the universe. Most scientists believe it began with a big bang, a huge explosion of gases that has been cooling ever since into planets, stars, galaxies, and galactic systems. Does this theory of creation fit the evidence?
Maybe a close look at Mars would provide part of the answer by revealing more about how planets work. And maybe that look could also tell us something about the origins of life.
The story of how Earth and the life on it originated has been erased. Nothing of Earth's first surface remains; it has all been buried, melted, worn away, shifted around, and changed beyond recognition. The oldest rock on our planet is 3.8 billion years old.
Mars, on the other hand, has not completely resurfaced itself. It cooled more rapidly than Earth did, and scientists believe that large portions of it are still the same as they were more than four billion years ago. The river channels that border the huge Martian canyon, Valles Marineris, are older than any single geological formation on Earth. Maybe they hold some clue as to how life could arise from inanimate rock, water, and chemicals. Maybe by exploring them we'll learn more about ourselves and our place in the scheme of things.
