[Regnum] The Curiosity rover has detected traces of approximately 20 organic compounds on the Red Planet, including nitrogen-containing molecules similar in structure to purine and pyrimidine, the basic building blocks of DNA. This was reported by the University of Florida (UFL) press service.
The rover landed on the planet in 2012, after which it explored the Glen Torridon region and collected samples of Martian clays on the slopes of Mount Sharp in the central part of Gale Crater.
When it returned to Earth, an international team of planetary scientists assembled to study the soil samples. The scientists used the SAM laboratory for the experiment. After chromatographic analysis, they discovered dozens of complex organic compounds. These included sulfur-containing organics and several nitrogen-containing molecules previously found on Mars, as well as "double" rings of aromatic hydrocarbons, similar in structure to purine and pyrimidine, the nitrogenous bases that form the central part of nucleotides, the basic building blocks of DNA.
"We suspect we're dealing with a cache of organic matter that has spent approximately 3.5 billion years in Martian soils. This is a very important discovery, as it demonstrates that complex organic compounds, including possible traces of Martian life, are, in principle, capable of persisting even in the upper layers of soil," said UFL Professor Amy Williams.
Doing nothing but persist.
What's the activation trigger for this meteoric treat?
Scientists have come to the general conclusion that organic compounds could have arrived on Mars via meteorites. This supports the theory that life on Earth also originated through the impact of cosmic objects.
Last September, NASA scientists discovered possible traces of ancient life in samples collected by the American Mars rover Perseverance. According to the agency, the rover discovered unique textured spots with a leopard-like pattern on rocks in the Neretva Valley. After studying the images and data, the scientists hypothesized that the spots may form as a byproduct of microbial activity.