Are we alone in the Universe?
The question has led Auckland University Professor Kathy Campbell to the heart of the Taupō Volcanic Zone, searching for a relationship between the hot springs and planets such as Mars.
"If we are the only ones, what does that actually mean?" Campbell said.
"Why are we the only ones? Is it just some fluke? Is it easy for life to take hold or much harder than we understand?"
Campbell worked for NASA before moving to New Zealand.
Her research at Auckland University surrounds the microbial formation of "stromatolites", which many believe put oxygen into our atmosphere billions of years ago.
"These rocks are made out of silica, the little features that form in the hot springs.
"They have different names, but the idea is that they are growing as the hot spring waters are coming out of the spring and going down a little channel into the pools," Campbell said.
"The water is hot, so it is evaporating, and you end up forming these layers of microbe and silica into a feature known as stromatolites."
Campbell also worked with researchers in Australia's Pilbara Desert.
She discovered links between hot spring deposits and some of the oldest life forms in the world.
"When we begin to unlock the secrets of life in what looks like one lowly rock, that might change the way we think about ourselves.
"It's exciting to be a part of that."
After making the significant discoveries in Australia, Campbell and her team were asked to attend international Mars conferences.
There they began advocating for the 2020 Mars Rover Mission to locate its Mars base at Columbia Hills, in the planet's Gusev Crater.
"The teams from Yellowstone National Park and us, we are strong advocates for this. We went to the landing site meeting last February.
"There were eight candidates. It was compelling enough for the committee to choose us as one of three of the final sites to possibly be visited."
There is evidence the site contains ancient hot springs and silica similar to pools in Rotorua, and Professor Campbell believes these hold the best chance of finding evidence of life on Mars.
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