This video that demonstrates how an environment such as the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana may have formed. The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans are a huge expanse of salt that has become very valuable in the study of microbiology in areas of high salinity. Desiccation (a state of extreme dryness) is a common stress that bacteria face in the natural environment. Therefore, they have developed a variety of protective mechanisms to mitigate the damage caused by water loss. Some species have developed mechanisms that either help protect susceptible cellular components from damage, or that sequester water in an attempt to avoid dehydration. This has led some researchers to believe that life could survive the extreme environments of high salinity, such as salt deposits found on Mars.

The video supports the Europlanet Mars Collection of Educational Resources - 6. Evaporation and States of Matter: An introduction to the development of salt beds and the potential for their habitability.

Europlanet 2024 RI has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.