Scientists Use Ancient Rains to Map the Possible Origin Life on Mars– www.universetoday.com
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EXCERPT:
Despite the climate we see on Mars today, scientists now agree it was warmer and wetter 3.5 to 4.1 billion years ago, during the Noachian and Hesperian eras. Evidence of this first emerged with the first robotic probes to explore Mars, but became undeniable with the arrival of landers and surface rovers, i.e., Viking 1 and 2, Curiosity, and Perseverance. This has raised the question of whether Mars could have hosted life during this period, most likely in the form of microbial organisms.
Hoping to shed light on this, a research team led by scientists from the Institute of Science Tokyo created a global map showing where ancient rains may have delivered an important prebiotic molecule, formaldehyde (H₂CO), across the planet billions of years ago. This map could help guide future astrobiology efforts on Mars by directing robotic and crewed missions to sites where evidence of past life could still be preserved.
The research was led by Dr. Shungo Koyama, an astrobiologist at the Institute of Science Tokyo and Research Fellow at Tohoku University. He and his colleagues (from both institutions) were joined by researchers from the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo, the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington, and the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB).
Ancient riverbeds can still be seen on the surface of Mars and it is here that the focus will lie in the search for life (Credit : ESA/DLR/FU Berlin)
The research, which appeared in The Planetary Science Journal, builds on previous work that showed how H₂CO could form in the atmosphere. When combined with water, formaldehyde can serve as a precursor molecule for chemical reactions that produce sugars, amino acids, and other complex organic molecules that give rise to life. The one remaining question was, where on Mars would formaldehyde have reached the surface?
