Does this river hold the key to life on Mars? | BBC Travel

Spain’s Rio Tinto, the Red River, was believed to have its strange rust-red hue as a result of polluted runoff from large-scale excavations that ended in 2001. Researchers recently found out that the source of the river’s color is from its chemical makeup similarly related to the planet Mars. The Red Planet and Red River both contain Jarosite and large quantities of methane gas. Digging deep under the river’s acidic base, scientists have found bacteria and microorganisms, leading experts that any forms of life on Mars are likely to be found similar to the Red River.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200903-the-spanish-acidic-river-teaching-us-about-mars?ocid=global_travel_rsshttps://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200903-the-spanish-acidic-river-teaching-us-about-mars?ocid=global_travel_rss