Living microbes found in a meteorite crater may offer clues to life on Mars

By Knowridge -November 29, 2025

Scientists have discovered living, methane-producing microbes deep inside a massive meteorite impact crater in Sweden, and the find could change the way researchers think about where life can survive — on Earth and beyond.

The study focused on the Siljan crater, one of Europe’s largest known impact structures, formed when a meteorite struck the planet hundreds of millions of years ago.

More than 400 metres below the surface, inside fractured rock created by the ancient impact, researchers found microorganisms that are actively producing methane gas.

This process, known as methanogenesis, is considered one of the oldest forms of metabolism on Earth. It likely played a role in the earliest stages of life, when the planet’s atmosphere looked very different from today’s.

More:
https://knowridge.com/2025/11/living-microbes-found-in-a-meteorite-crater-may-offer-clues-to-life-on-mars/