Life on Mars? STEM Forum investigates with Oxford University’s Dr Bethan Gregory

We were delighted to welcome Dr Bethan Gregory to lead this week’s STEM Forum. A postdoctoral planetary scientist at the University of Oxford, she specialises in the evolution of planetary atmospheres and the conditions that make planets capable of supporting life.

It was wonderful to see so many pupils from our partner schools join us for the talk, which explored one of science’s most enduring questions: could life ever have existed beyond Earth?

Originally an Earth Sciences graduate, Bethan’s career has followed a remarkable path, from studying Earth’s atmosphere to investigating the atmosphere of Mars and how it has changed over time. Developing a deeper understanding of these changes is key to determining whether the Red Planet might once have been a place where life could thrive.

Despite the discovery of more than 6,000 exoplanets over the last 30 years, Earth remains the only world known to host life. Over recent decades of exploration, NASA’s approach to searching for signs of ancient life on Mars has focused on finding evidence of water. Today, Bethan explained, Mars is a cold, dry desert, yet her research into its atmospheric evolution could help unlock clues as to whether liquid water once existed there.

Her talk offered a fascinating glimpse into this decades-old question, as well as an inspiring insight into the remarkable and rapidly advancing technologies driving discoveries in space science.

She concluded that, while many questions remain unanswered, Mars has much to teach us about the potential for life elsewhere in the Universe. For pupils considering a future in STEM, it was also a powerful reminder that this is an exciting time to be studying planetary science. Our thanks to Bethan for sharing her expertise and inspiring our scientists.