As a remarkable scientific feat, the US space agency NASA's Perseverance rover has found complex organic molecules locked in mudstone rocks in the Jezero Crater on Mars. The finding is regarded as one of the most exciting discoveries made so far which proves that the planet once had chemicals needed for life. However, despite the fact that this discovery does not confirm existence of life on Mars, it greatly enhances our knowledge about the geological history of the planet and brings us hope for further discoveries in the future.
Perseverance was launched in July 2020 and landed on the Red Planet in February 2021. This mission aims to explore Jezero Crater, which is believed to have contained lake and delta billions of years ago. This crater was chosen by scientists because the sedimentary rocks found in ancient lakebeds can store signatures of chemistry for a long time. Thus, Perseverance is aimed to study whether Mars once had the right conditions for life and collect rock samples that will be sent to the Earth later for analysis.
The most recent findings involve complex, macromolecular carbon-containing molecules which include intricate arrangements of interconnected carbon atoms. Carbon is one of the most essential elements, forming the basis of all known life forms on Earth, making this discovery particularly interesting. The rover, using its sophisticated SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) equipment, discovered these molecules in mudstones formed billions of years ago in the lake environment of the crater.
It is important to note that organic molecules can be created via biological and non-biological mechanisms. While they are created by living organisms on Earth, they can also be created via volcanism, impact from meteorites, hydrothermal reactions, or other geochemical processes. Hence, even though the carbon molecules found are a necessary part of any form of life, they do not serve as evidence of past Martian organisms.
The reason why this is such an important discovery lies in the complexity and integrity of the carbon compounds found. The complex organic structures differ from simpler organic molecules discovered by previous Mars missions because it appears that they managed to survive for billions of years despite all the challenging conditions on the Red Planet. Exposure to UV rays, cosmic radiation, and oxidizers normally destroy organic molecules over time, but their existence shows that ancient sediments on Mars are able to preserve vital chemical information about the planet's history, which means that future sample return missions might find even more evidence about Mars.
It is necessary to note that Jezero Crater itself is also an important landmark for future Mars research. Geological studies show that around 3.5-4 billion years ago rivers flowed into the crater creating sediments of the large delta. On Earth such geological structures are perfect places for finding fossils and organic remains, and now the rover is searching for such remains using the rocks as a source of information.
Apart from the scientific data sent back by the spacecraft, the rover will take out samples of rocks with organic matter and store them for subsequent use. This is part of the Mars Sample Return mission conducted by NASA and ESA. Once these rock samples are brought to earth, they will be studied in the laboratories where scientists will analyze the rocks using high-end laboratory equipment. This can help in establishing the exact source of the organic compounds found and if they were formed due to geological or biological process.
In addition to the discovery of organic molecules, the finding has helped in increasing the understanding of the evolution of the planet itself. It shows that Mars has the three elements necessary for any planet to host life, namely stable liquid water, active geochemistry, and organic molecules. This helps in furthering the understanding of the evolution of planets over a long period of time.
NASA's Perseverance continues to revolutionize our understanding of the Red Planet every time it makes a new discovery. With the discovery of complex carbon molecules in the Jezero Crater, this mission has yet again helped in answering one of the oldest questions posed by humanity.
Team Yuva Aaveg-
Adarsh Tiwari
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