Curiosity rover first detects organic compounds similar to DNA on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered new organic compounds on the Red Planet that scientists believe could be the building blocks of life, similar to those found on Earth.
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered new organic compounds on the Red Planet that scientists believe could be the building blocks of life, similar to those found on Earth.
This discovery was reported by Space.com, citing the results of a study by an international group of scientists, which were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
The experiment was carried out using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument complex, which is essentially a mini-laboratory inside the rover. The analysis used a special reagent called TMAH, which breaks down complex molecules into smaller components so that the instruments can recognize them. With only two small bowls of this substance left on board, the mission team was extremely careful in choosing the target for the study.
Among more than 20 chemicals identified during the experiment, Curiosity detected a nitrogen-containing molecule with a structure similar to the precursors of DNA, the first such observation in the entire history of Mars exploration. The rover also discovered benzothiophene, a sulfur-containing chemical compound that is often brought to the planet by meteorites.
The researchers emphasize that the find is not direct evidence of past Martian life. However, it is another strong hint that the conditions necessary for the emergence of life were indeed present there, and the chemical composition of Mars turned out to be much more complex than previously thought.
The Curiosity rover has been operating on the surface of Mars in the Gale Crater area since August 2012. Its main task is to determine whether the Red Planet ever had environmental conditions suitable for supporting microbial life.
Curiosity's "colleague," the Perseverance rover, previously found a rock on Mars that may have signs of ancient life. The sample, about a meter in size, is thought to contain "chemical signatures and structures" that could have been formed by ancient microbes billions of years ago.
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