Have you ever had life on Mars?Maybe, but the evidence has been washed!

The curiosity detector found that the signs of life on the surface of Mars may have been erased.

On April 18, 2021, the Hirise camera on the Martian reconnaissance rail in the United States Aerospace Agency (NASA) took a photo of the curious number detector. (Picture source: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/Uarizona)

NASA's recent new studies have found that the traces left by ancient creatures on the surface of Mars may have been erased.

Curiosity Mars probe unexpectedly discovered in the process of survey of clay -rich sedimentary rocks in the Galf Meteorium pit. About 3.6 billion years ago, an asteroid hit this red planet, thus forming an ancient ancient one lake.

Clane is an important sign that guides scientists to find evidence of life, because it is usually formed by the weathering of rock minerals and metamorphic after contact with water. We all know that liquid water is an important factor in maintaining life. Moreover, clay is also a good material to preserve microbial fossils.

When the Curiosity was cracked from the small pieces of the dry lake bed on Mars, two same time were collected. After the ancient mud rock samples at the same place (also 3.5 billion years ago, they gathered only 400 meters). The content of clay minerals above a small piece is only half of the expected, but it is rich in iron oxide, which is a compound that makes the Rust -colored surface on the surface of Mars.

The research team believes that the main substances that cause these minerals to disappear are saline. When high -concentration of salt water penetrates into clay rich in minerals, it will make these substances unstable and will be washed away. It even rinse the records left by geological activities and biological activities.

"In the past, we thought that these clay minerals were formed by the bottom of the lake in the Gall meteorite pit. For billions of years, they have always maintained what they were just formed." The Tom Bristow of the Mes Research Center said in the report, "But later, these minerals were broken down by salt water, causing various records on the rocks to be eliminated and reset."

The Curiosity detector has an instrument to investigate chemical and mineral samples. It is called Chemin. Curiosity is used to complete the analysis and research by drilling into the Martian rock layer before using it.

Researchers say that the chemical transformation process in sediment is called a rock. This role may create a new life in Mars, even if the signs of life have been erased. Therefore, even if the evidence left by life has been brushed off by salt water, the inflow of these salt water may also bring chemical conditions that can grow other lives.

"These are good places to find evidence of paleontology and assess livable," John Grotzinger, a professor of geological at the Institute of Science and Technology of California, said in the report. " Signs, it can also create chemical changes that support the survival of Mars underground life. This is a discovery that makes us very excited. "

Curiosity detectors have been performing the task on Mars for 9 years, but after the detector was executed in the first two years, the detector was still studying this red planet, intending to discover the livability before the planet. It is now cooperating with the "perseverance" Mars probe that landed in February 2021. At the same time, it is required to collect Mars's rocks and soil samples. One day in the future, they may bring them back to the earth.

After the Curiosity detector conducted this study, not only revealed how the climate on Mars changed, but also helping the perseverance to clarify the possibility of finding life in which soil sample.

"We now understand an important thing: there are some Mars rocks that are not easy to retain the past records and signs of life." NASA spraying the curious number project researcher in the laboratory, scientist Ashwin Vasavada Yes, we found two samples that were very close to the Galfut Pit, and we could compare it through mineral knowledge. "

"Life Science" magazine reported that the work of finding Mars life was recently injected into a new vitality into a new study. This research will position the six methane emissions points on the Mars detected by the curiosity. s position. Because the left and right methane on the earth comes from biological activities, scientists are extremely excited about finding methane on Mars.

Researchers announced their research results in "Life Science" on July 9.

related information

Because Mars is similar and similar to the earth, whether life on Mars may have always been a theme of celestial biology. So far, the evidence of the once or present life has not been discovered on Mars. Cumulative evidence shows that during the ancient Noah period, the surface environment of Mars has liquid water and may be suitable for microorganisms, but the conditions of livable do not necessarily represent life [1] [2].

By: ben turner

Fy: A Wei

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