2024-08-01 16:30:46
It’s important to note that NASA isn’t claiming to have discovered life on Mars – but its Perseverance rover has picked up a rock sample with signs that could have been the result of ancient microbial activity.
To confirm these suspicions, scientists should bring a rock sample back to Earth and study it in more detail.
“This is exactly the kind of sample we wanted to find,” said Katie Stack Morgan, chief scientist of the Perseverance mission.
Found rock has three main characteristics:
- white filaments of calcium sulfate are evidence that water once flowed through the rock,
- organic compounds found in rock that are the building blocks of life as we know it,
- the rock is dotted with tiny “leopard spots” that tell of chemical reactions associated with microbial life on Earth.
However, both organic matter and leopard spots may have resulted from non-biological processes. Therefore, scientists need to study the sample more closely on Earth to make an accurate assessment.
“We’re not saying there’s life on Mars, but we’re seeing something that’s a compelling potential biomarker [tai bet koks požymis, rodantis gyvybės buvimą]said K. Stack Morgan.
“This is a very important discovery,” she added.
In recent months, NASA has experienced a number of difficulties due to budget constraints and technical errors in various missions, so this is a very important victory for the space agency, according to Business Insider.
2024-08-01 16:30:46