Identificación y caracterización de biomarcadores de endolíticos: hábitats microbianos y análogos de Marte: Valles Secos (Antártida), Desierto de Atacama y el meteorito ALH84001

This project sought to identify and characterize biosignatures, chemical, mineralogical, and fossil traces of past microbial life, in some of Earth’s best Mars analog environments, including Antarctica’s Dry Valleys, the Atacama Desert, and the Martian meteorite ALH84001. The researchers aimed to understand how microbial fossils, biominerals, and preserved biomolecules formed and survived in extreme environments, and to determine whether ALH84001 contained evidence of ancient Martian life. These studies were intended to improve the ability to recognize signs of life during current and future Mars exploration missions. To achieve these goals, the team applied advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, geochemical, and molecular techniques to rocks, salt deposits, silica formations, and meteorite samples. They searched for preserved microbial structures, organic molecules, and mineral signatures associated with extinct life while developing new methods for detecting biosignatures in situ. The expected outcomes included improved life-detection strategies for NASA and ESA missions, better interpretation of Mars rover observations, and a deeper understanding of how evidence of life can be preserved over geological timescales.