A Martian experiment in our sky: Earth microbes could temporarily survive on Mars, study says The surface of Mars is a harsh frozen desert, but some microbes from Earth could temporarily survive there, according to a new study. And the researchers didn’t even have to send microbes to Mars to find out. The two planets may not seem very similar, but our stratosphere — a layer of the atmosphere 20 miles above the Earth’s surface — has some qualities in common with Mars. Our home planet’s stratosphere experiences low air pressure and high levels of radiation, and it’s dry and cold — much like the surface of the red planet.