NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  1. Question

    What elements are needed to support life on Mars?

    If we are discussing the kind of life we know (which is all we can do, given our ignorance of possible other life forms), then the requirements are the same on Mars as on Earth -- primarily the so-called biogenic elements: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus. You can find more information by searching for previous questions that deal with "biogenic elements".

    David Morrison
    NAI Senior Scientist

    June 2, 2003

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