One of the biggest aims of Mars research right now is trying to figure out if life ever existed on Mars. Given how dry and inhospitable Mars is today, scientists are pretty certain that there’s nothing living there currently. But millions of years ago, Mars could have looked a lot more like Earth, with plentiful surface water in rivers and lakes. Now, research focuses on using the instruments on rovers like the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers to try and look for evidence of ancient life on the planet.
Researchers have confirmed the discovery of a range of organic chemicals in Mars' Jezero Crater using data from Perseverance's SHERLOC instrument, a camera and spectrometer used to detect minerals and organic molecules. The Curiosity Rover made similar discoveries in the Gale Crater, but these are the first hints of the discovery in this other site.
Organic compounds are high in carbon and are frequently connected with living entities, either creating or being used by them. They are, however, not just formed by life, but also by other natural processes such as geology. So the discovery of these compounds on Mars hints that there was once microbial life there, but the source may potentially be something else.
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"Not all organics are biological in origin," noted Ashley Murphy of the Planetary Science Institute in a statement. To determine if a molecule came from something living or not, researchers must consider the surrounding environment, such as other types of rocks and the depth at where the sample was discovered. "Observing spatial relationships between minerals and organics is necessary when evaluating organic origins and potential biosignatures."
This is difficult since we're starting with the sole example of a habitable planet we have: Earth. And the types of rocks in the environment can have a strong influence on indications of former life. Murphy stated, "Everything we know about life on Earth is limited to what is preserved in the rock-mineral record."
Biosignatures can be found in some minerals on Earth, and some minerals are better than others at maintaining organics. Mars may have had a similar early geologic history to Earth, therefore we hunt for potential evidence of previous life on Mars using our knowledge of life as we know it on Earth. Mapping organics allows researchers to better understand if Mars' carbon cycle is similar to or different from Earth's, as well as the possibility of life on Mars."
Mapping organics helps researchers determine whether Mars is habitable.The organic molecules were discovered in Máaz and Sétah sections of the Jezero Crater and are of a similar type to those discovered by Curiosity in the Gale Crater, implying that both places — which are the dried-up beds of ancient lakes — may have experienced similar events in the past.The carbon cycle is comparable to or distinct from that of Earth, and