CALGARY — Exciting new findings from a study led by researchers at the University of Calgary have uncovered substantial evidence suggesting that Mars may have once harbored life! This revelation inevitably raises questions about the planet's watery past.

Ben Tutolo, an associate professor and key member of the NASA Curiosity Rover team, humorously lamented that while his discovery was momentous, he unfortunately lost an office betting pool on the findings.

The rover, described as a "roving geochemical and geological laboratory," has been meticulously analyzing the climate history of Mars. Recent research published in the prestigious journal Science reveals that Curiosity's drill sites unearthed siderite, an iron carbonate material, deep within sulfate-rich layers of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater.

NASA's findings indicate that these carbonate rocks point to a Martian atmosphere that once had enough carbon dioxide to support liquid water on the planet's surface. As Mars' atmosphere thinned over eons, this carbon dioxide solidified into rock.

"There's evidence showing that liquid water flowed abundantly across the surface of Mars in ancient times," Tutolo explained. "According to our climate models, this means that carbon dioxide concentrations in the ancient Martian atmosphere must have been much higher than they are today."

Yet, the burning question remains: Could Mars have ever supported life? Tutolo asserts, "This tells us that the planet was indeed habitable."

The Curiosity Rover drills into the Martian subsurface, extracting samples just a few centimeters deep that can represent billions of years of geological history.

Incredibly, Tutolo's research on Mars aligns with his work on Earth, where he's exploring innovative methods to transform carbon dioxide from human emissions into stable carbonates—an approach aimed at combating climate change.

Reflecting on his journey, Tutolo shared that as a child in Pennsylvania, outer space wasn't on his radar. Even now, he has no desire to travel to Mars alongside fellow explorers. "I'm deeply fascinated by understanding and explaining what we find on Mars. There's no need for me to go there in person," he stated.

Tutolo always envisioned himself as a scientist, recalling childhood drawings where he dreamed of either being a scientist or a professional fly fisherman. Ultimately, the path of science prevailed, as it tends to pay the bills!

In the humorous twist of fate, despite his research success, he had to admit defeat in the office betting pool on the rover's discoveries. "Every time we drill, the team makes educated guesses about the minerals present. I only got two or three right!" he laughed.

"You even win a mug!" he added, chuckling at the light-hearted competition within the team.

Stay tuned as we unravel more mysteries of the Red Planet, with researchers like Tutolo leading the charge!