Life could exist on Mars: a discovery made by the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater on the Red Planet is causing scientists a real stir.< /p>
This information was reported by the Daily Mail resource, reports URA-Inform.
What was found?
The space robot discovered a constant flow of methane coming out of the bowels of the planet. What's surprising is that methane appears at different times of the day and its levels vary from season to season. This gas, usually associated with living organisms on Earth, is of interest to scientists, because its discovery on Mars may indicate the possible existence of life.
The same element on Earth
The same element on Earth
The same element on Earth
The same element on Earth
The same element on Earth
The same element on Earth
On Earth, methane is a molecule made up of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. It is typically excreted by animals after digesting food, so the discovery of methane on Mars raises questions about the gas's possible source. Although there is no direct confirmation of extraterrestrial life on Mars, scientists believe that the source of methane lies somewhere below the surface of the planet, leaving its origin a mystery.
A study by the Curiosity rover showed that a constant flow of methane was found in only one place in Gale Crater. Analysis of data over several years allowed scientists to make the assumption that methane may be associated with processes occurring in the bowels of the planet.
Additional research
In experiments simulating conditions on Mars, scientists discovered that salts known as perchlorates rise from the planet's interior to the dust-covered surface. These toxic substances are trapped in ice below the surface and slowly evaporate due to Mars' thin atmosphere. When perchlorates penetrate Martian dust, some of them remain there and form a kind of shell.
This shell can trap methane for a long time. As the temperature on Mars rises, the shell is destroyed and methane is released into the atmosphere, which was recorded by the rover. As a result of the experiment, it was shown that it takes from 3 to 13 days to create a salt shell in Martian soil, and even a low concentration of perchlorates can create solid salt.
Bottom Line
The question is: where methane comes from on Mars remains open to question. Some scientists suggest that the source of methane may be extraterrestrial living organisms, while others suggest that life may exist on Mars and there are other physical or chemical processes that could produce this gas. However, for now the exact answer to this question remains unknown.
Recall that an island strewn with precious stones was discovered: where is it located (photo).
