Life On Mars: Doomed by an Asteroid?

In a new study, scientists are now pointing to the possibility that a huge asteroid hit the southern hemisphere of Mars 4 billion years ago, destroying its ability to have a true magnetosphere that is necessary to have a life-sustainable atmosphere.

While the studies point to real science, we wonder if it’s realistic to believe that there could have been life on Mars regardless of the asteroid that leaves the “scarred face” of Mars visible. With so many factors necessary to achieve life, could we really have martian neighbors now had a simple, random space collision not have happened?

This is a case where the science and speculation are interesting, but still have no bearing on where we are now, where we’ve been in the past, and where we’re going into the future as a species. Still, it makes for fun reading and conversation.