NASA Perseverance rover found organic compounds on Mars, it’s too early to say ” life ”

We recently wrote about how the NASA Perseverance rover produced oxygen (from the Martian atmosphere) eleven times. But the Mars 2020 mission it is much more complex and involves both analysis on site of the rocks up Marsand the taking of samples to be brought back to Earth in the future for in-depth analysis (but we will have to wait until 2033).

In these weeks the US rover is exploring the beginning of the river delta that filled the Jezero crater a few million years ago in search of (past) traces of life. Just in these hours a conference was held where the NASA announced some interesting news. The most important part concerns the discovery of organic compounds on Mars which can open interesting scenarios regarding astrobiology, but it is still early to exclaim “there (was) life on Mars”.

NASA Perseverance and organic compounds on Mars

In the press release the space agency reads that organic compounds (or organic molecules) can be created from either organisms but also with processes that they do not require life. In general, however, it is right to deepen the dynamics that led to their discovery and consider the fact that these molecules are also the basis of life. An important discovery because it is not only about Marsbut also the past of the Earth and life on exoplanets.

Compounds of this type are mainly based on carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (plus other elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur). As recalled by the NASACuriosity had already detected traces of organic compounds on Mars but NASA Perseverance found them in the river delta of an ancient lake where the possibility of life developing is more likely (but NOT certain).

In particular, the analyzes were carried out by the tool called SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) in the Wildcat Ridge area, finding the largest number of organic compounds since the mission began. This is promising information but it will need to be contextualized.

Ken Farley (from Caltech) said “In the distant past, the sand, mud and salts that now make up the Wildcat Ridge sample were deposited under conditions in which life could potentially flourish. The fact that organic matter was found in this sedimentary rock,” he notes. for the conservation of fossils of ancient life here on Earth – it is important. However, as capable as our instruments are aboard Perseverance, further conclusions about what is contained in the Wildcat Ridge sample will have to wait until its return to Earth to an in-depth study as part of the agency’s Mars Sample Return campaign “.

As you can read, Farley is rightfully cautious in his claims because “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” (quoting Sagan). There sedimentary rock to which the researcher refers is called Bearwallowfrom which the 13th sample taken at the beginning of August was taken (Sol 516).

Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA associate administrator, who is about to finish his tenure) said “We chose Jezero Crater for Perseverance to explore because we thought it had the best chance of providing scientifically excellent samples – and now we know we have sent the rover to the right place. These first two science campaigns have produced an incredible variety of samples from bring back to Earth through the Mars Sample Return campaign “.

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