Areas of 'other planets' on Earth

Natural conditions and landscapes in some areas of the Earth, similar to Mars or Venus, can provide research information about life on other planets.

Rio Tinto is a river in southwestern Spain.Iron ore mining causes river water to turn reddish brown and has high acidity.This is a habitat suitable for some aerobic microorganisms.Scientists believe that these conditions may be similar to the characteristics of Jupiter or Mars's moon.Data from NASA's Opportunity autonomous device showed that similar conditions on the Rio Tinto river existed on the former Mars.

Devond Island of Canada is the largest uninhabited island on the planet.The deserted landscape of this place is the ideal place to test technology for trips to Mars.In addition to the parallels in the arid and rocky landscape, Island is also home to the Haughton crater, which bears similar characteristics to craters scattered on Mars.

Venus has more volcanoes than any other planet in the solar system, the landscape is mainly lava plains with typical basalt composition.This type of lava flows erupts from shield volcanoes like Kilauea of ​​Hawaii.Hawaii is home to the world's largest volcanic system, which can create landscapes similar to Venus's.The landscape around Kilauea is also thought to resemble those with volcanic activity in the solar system, most notably Jupiter's Moon.

Waterfalls or beaches are typical of Haiwaii.But besides, this is also home to many other harsh and strange landscapes.Initial results from the Curiosity autonomous car on Mars show that the soil component of the red planet has a strange resemblance to the soil in Haiwaii.NASA has experimented with self-propelled device technology in the volcanic region of Mauna Kea and Haleakala.

Saturn's moon and Jupiter's moon are thought to have oceans below the icy shell surface.Scientists believe that they have volcanic and seismic activity, so the sea floor may have the same characteristics as the Earth's hydrothermal vents.

Many landscapes in the Teide volcanic region, in the Canary Islands of Spain, have a perfect similarity to the terrain on the red planet.In 2010, a group of experts came to the area to test the device for future Mars missions.

The Andes range stretches across Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth.The desert landscape, salt lake, dunes and lava flow here are similarities to Mars.Self-propelled devices were tested at Atacama, to test the ability of microorganisms to detect life, before they were brought to Mars.

The dry valley system (Dry Valleys) in Antarctica is one of the most inhospitable places in the world, with dry weather conditions, little rain, cold air, and wind blowing through the valley can be powerful. more than 300km / h.This is similar to the windy, cold and dry plain of Mars.

Vostok is the largest underground lake in Antarctica.A special feature of this tank is its liquid water surface that has stuck under the ice for at least 15-25 million years.Scientists believe that bacteria that can live in extreme conditions (extremophiles) found here will provide information on the evolution of life on Jupiter's moon, or the moon's Saturn.