Mars Scientists Investigate Ancient Life in Australia

[John Cleese voice:] “It’s not much of a Mars investigation at all, is it?”

by DC Agle, NASA News | November 15, 2019

“Some 3.48 billion years ago, this area was home to a caldera, or collapsed volcano, filled with hot, bubbling seawater,” said [Martin Van Kranendonk, director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology].

“At the same time, this location was also home to structures called microbial mats -— visible to the naked eye but composed of microscopic organisms.

“Today you would know them as simple pond scum.”

Whoa, let’s not get partisan, doc!