Organic Materials Found in Jezero Crater on Mars - The Perseverance Rover Explores the Red Planet - The Cosmic Companion 18 Dec. 2021
NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars reports finding organic molecules in Jezero Crater on Mars - what does this mean?
The Perseverance rover found organic molecules in Jezero Crater on Mars. Here’s a look at this interesting finding.
Hello everyone!
Exploring Jezero Crater on Mars, the Perseverance rover recently came across an unexpected finding — organic molecules within the Martian rocks.
The six-wheeled rover arrived on Mars in February, spending the last 10 months exploring Jezero Crater on the Red Planet. The spacecraft now reports finding organic material within this alien basin.
Perseverance further confirmed ideas that Jezero Crater formed long ago as molten lava cooled on the Martian surface. These ruddy rocks revealed a history rich with multiple interactions with water long ago.
Before You Make “Welcome Martians” T-Shirts…
Finding organic materials is FAR from finding life. The definition of organic to chemists is simply a complex molecule based on carbon. Paraffin is (often) a long chain of carbon atoms covered in hydrogen. An organic material? Yes. Alive? Not.
In 2018, the Curiosity rover reported finding organic materials in Gale Crater, suggesting these molecules were once widespread across the Martian surface.
Examining the surface of Jezero Crater in X-rays, the PIXL instrument onboard Perseverance revealed clear evidence magma slowly cooled over long periods in the ancient past, forming the alien basin.
Perseverance is collecting samples of the Martian surface and atmosphere in vials for return to Earth by a future mission. So far, the rover has collected six of 43 vials.
The Perseverance mission to Mars will help us learn more about the Red Planet, as well as Earth. This interplanetary research station could also answer one of the greatest questions ever asked — Is there now, or was there ever, life on Mars?
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