NASA study finds ancient life could survive 50 million years in Martian ice

Link to the science paper

Mars’ frozen ice caps may be time capsules for ancient life. Lab experiments show that key building blocks of proteins can survive tens of millions of years in pure ice, even under relentless cosmic radiation. Ice mixed with Martian-like soil, however, destroys organic material far more quickly.

The findings point future missions toward drilling into clean, buried ice rather than studying rocks or dirt.

Credit: NASA