Scientists have found a "toxic cocktail" of chemicals on Mars. It would kill any living thing. The scientists say the discovery of the chemicals means the chance of finding life on Mars is very low. The scientists study the places in the universe that might have life. Mars has no ozone layer. This means there are high levels of ultra-violet (UV) radiation. This mixes with the chemicals and makes it impossible for anything to grow on Mars.
The scientists said that just the chemicals were enough to kill living things. When they mix with UV rays, the mix kills living things 11 times faster. The scientists said: "The surface of…Mars is highly [harmful] to cells, caused by a toxic cocktail of [chemicals] and UV radiation." They say their research is evidence that the land on Mars is deadly to any kind of plant life. They say the chemicals and UV rays make, "much of the surface and near-surface regions uninhabitable".