Researchers say a 1.3 billion-year-old tiny fragment of a Martian meteor has a very surprising "cell-like" structure that quite possibly held water or contained multiple colonies of "alien" microbes.

This particular evidence adds to the swelling suspicion that Mars did in fact harbor the condition to create, evolve, and sustain certain life forms beneath the surface.

Like Us on Facebook

Back in the early 1900's, many meteorites entered the Earth's atmosphere near the Abu Hommos district of Alexandria, Egypt. One of these meteorites is said to have fallen on a dog.

Multiple researchers led by Elias Chatzirtheordoris from the National Technical University of Athens took a series of very high-definition and resolution prints of the Egyptian meteorites and fragments that revealed an atomic structure within one of the fragment's layers.

What they found was an unusual site compared to the many meteors fragments that have been explored or researched.

Embedded deep in the layers of the Egyptian meteorite fragment was a remarkably peculiar egg-shaped portion of clay.

"In many ways it resembled a fossilized biological cell from Earth but it was particularly intriguing because the rock fragment was undoubtedly from Mars," said Ian Lyon at the University of Manchester.

The particular egg-shaped clay discovery, embedded deep into the fragment's atomic make-up, is said to be far larger than most bacterium known to inhabit the earth.

"Despite the extremely biomorphic overall shape of the ovoid, it is unknown as to whether it itself was any 'one' organism."

Researchers say it could have either been directly formed by a significant colony of microorganisms. Or it could be some type of other organic material from another source that was somehow trapped into the fragment.

Larger asteroids smashing into the surface of Mars could have gouged out hydrothermal areas that could have sustaiedn life on the Red Planet.

"Life as we know it, in the form of bacteria, for example, may have once existed and in some form can still currently exist."

The research team is currently investigating possible bio-signatures of the meteor fragment hopes to piece to together the possible case for life on Mars.

Tagsextra-terrestrial, meteors, martian mission, Mars, Mars Colony, space exploration, Alien life, NASA