A recent study by Australian scientists showed that large parts of Mars could sustain terrestrial life, though most of it underground.

The scientists led by Charley Lineweaver, compared models of temperature and pressure conditions on Earth and those on Mars to determine the habitability of Mars.

"What we tried to do, simply, was take almost all of the information we could and put it together and say 'is the big picture consistent with there being life on Mars?'," Lineweaver said.

"And the simple answer is yes... There are large regions of Mars that are compatible with terrestrial life."

The research team said while only one percent of the Earth's volume was occupied by life, their world-first modelling showed three percent of Mars was was liveable for Earth-like organisms, though most of it was underground.

Using decades of data on the Red Planet, the Australian astrobiologist said their research was a comprehensive study on the habitability of Mars as compared to previous studies which had examined specific sites for signs of life.

Findings of frozen water on Mars, which has an average surface temperature of minus 63 degrees Celsius (minus 81 Fahrenheit), also led the team to study the conditions of water underground.

According to Lineweaver, while water cannot exist as liquid due to the low-pressure environment of Mars, the conditions are right underground, and that at certain depts, it could be warm enough for bacterian and other micro-organisms to thrive.

The study was "the best estimate yet published of how habitable Mars is to terrestrial microbes" and a significant finding given mankind had evolved from microbial life, Lineweaver said.

"If you're interested in the origin of life and how likely life is to get started on other planets, that's what relevant here."

The Australian research team's paper paper was published in the scientific journal Astrobiology.