NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover detected The largest organic (carbon-containing) molecule ever discovered on the Red Planet. This discovery is one of the most important findings to search for evidence of Mars’ past life. This is because relatively complex long-chain carbon molecules are involved in biology, at least on Earth. These molecules can actually be fragments of fatty acids, for example, in the membranes surrounding biological cells.
Scientists believe that if life appeared on Mars, it was probably a microorganism in nature. Because microorganisms are so small it is difficult to determine the potential evidence of life found on Mars. Such evidence requires more powerful scientific instruments that are too big to place on a rover.
Organic molecules discovered by curiosity are made up of carbon atoms associated with long chains, with other elements attached to them, such as hydrogen and oxygen. They come from a 3.7 billion-year-old rock called Cumberland and run around the dried-up lakebed of Gale Crater on Mars. Scientists used it Sample analysis on MARS (SAM) instruments Make their discoveries with NASA’s rover.
Scientists were actually looking for evidence of amino acids. Amino acids are components of proteins and, therefore, as we know, are important components of life. However, this unexpected discovery is almost as exciting. This study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Among the molecules were decanes with dodecanes with 10 carbon atoms and 22 hydrogen atoms, with 12 carbons and 26 hydrogen atoms. These are known as alkanes and are under the umbrella of compounds known as hydrocarbons.
Looking for life on Mars is an exciting time. In March of this year, scientists Evidence presented of another rock feature sampled elsewhere on Mars by a patient rover. These characteristics, known as “leopard spots” and “poppy seeds,” may have been produced by the action of microorganisms in the distant past. The findings were published at the US Congress and have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.
