One specialist explains the recent evidence of life found by the Perseverance robot from NASA on Mars.
The robot detected a rock, nicknamed Cheyava Falls, which contains possible biosignatures. In addition to the organic molecules, whitish spots were found that may indicate the activity of ancient microorganisms.
However, these signals may also have formed through non-biological processes. Let's take a closer look at these fascinating findings and understand their potential impact in the search for life in Red Planet.
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The Perseverance Mission
Perseverance is a centerpiece of NASA's Mars 2020 mission.
This robot was specifically designed to search for evidence of past life on the Red Planet.
Since landing in Jezero Crater, Perseverance has been exploring rocks that formed nearly four billion years ago, a time when Mars was much more habitable.
The Discovery of Cheyava Falls
The rock in question, nicknamed Cheyava Falls, is a small reddish block that contains organic molecules and curious whitish spots.
These features are intriguing to astrobiologists as they could indicate the presence of ancient life.
Organic Molecules
To the organic molecules are composed of carbon and hydrogen, and may include sulfur, oxygen, or nitrogen. Examples of these molecules include proteins, fats, sugars, and nucleic acids.
On Earth, organic matter is common in rocks and usually derives from ancient organisms. However, these molecules can also be produced by non-biological reactions.
Whitish Veins and Spots
The Cheyava Falls rock also features white veins of calcium sulfate, which formed when liquid water ran along fractures in the subsurface.
These veins are common in Martian sedimentary rocks, but they are not necessarily indicators of life.
Reduction Spots
The whitish spots in the rock resemble the “reduction spots” seen in red sedimentary rocks on Earth.
On Earth, these spots are usually caused by bacteria that live in the subsurface and use oxidized iron as an energy source. On Mars, similar processes could have occurred.
Analysis and Interpretation
To determine whether this evidence really indicates life, more detailed analyses are needed. possible non-biological causes need to be explored and discarded.
For example, iron dissolution reactions can occur in lifeless sedimentary rocks.
The Future of Investigations
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are planning a multibillion-dollar program to retrieve samples from Mars.
Perseverance has already extracted a piece of rock from Cheyava Falls, which can be analyzed in laboratories on Earth. This analysis will be crucial to determining whether we have actually found fossils of ancient life on Mars.
User Questions
What did the Perseverance rover find on Mars?
The robot detected a rock called Cheyava Falls, which has organic molecules, veins of calcium sulfate and whitish spots that could suggest microbial activity.
What are organic molecules?
They are composed of carbon and hydrogen, like proteins, fats and sugars. They can be signs of life, but they can also be created by non-biological processes.
Why are calcium sulfate veins important?
They indicate that liquid water was once present, creating habitable conditions. However, veins alone are not proof of life.
What are reduction spots?
These are areas on rocks that have turned white due to chemical reactions. On Earth, these stains can be caused by bacterial activity.
When will we know if there is life on Mars?
We still need to bring samples back to Earth for more detailed analysis. Only then will we be able to confirm whether there are fossils of ancient life on Mars.
