Alien life on Mars could be going under the radar, scientists have warned. Researchers think the limitations of today's equipment mean evidence of anything living on the planet might not be detected.
Many probes have been sent to the red planet to search for microbial life since the Viking missions in the 1970s. So far, instruments on Nasa’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have only identified low levels of simple organic molecules.
An international research team led by Dr Armando Azua-Bustos of the Astrobiology Centre in Spain tested versions of the instruments that are currently on Mars or due to be sent there in the near future. Testing took place in Red Stone, in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile.
