Detect organic matter on Mars

Mars exploration robots deploy the final equipment. Soil analysis showed organic compounds of uncertain origin.

It took more than three months, but NASA's Curiosity probe sent the first completed test results to Mars's windy land. In soil samples, scientists discovered chemical compounds including chlorine, hydrogen and a tantalizing way, including carbon.

Organic compounds contain carbon and are sometimes associated with life. However, scientists cannot say whether the carbon Curiosity discovered came from Mars or was brought from Earth by the probe itself.

Curiosity also shows that the Martian surface is 5 times richer in deuterium than Earth. Deuterium is a heavy isotope of hydrogen containing an additional neutron. Scientists reported on December 3 at the American Geophysical Union meeting that radiation may have dried up water. contains a lighter isotope of hydrides into the original space in the history of the planet.

Curiosity now has a full range of chemical specifications for a small sand dune in the area called Rocknest . This position will serve as a benchmark to help scientists analyze every place the probe ships in the future.

Curiosity has moved about half a kilometer since landing at Bradbury Landing (named after Ray Bradbury's novel author) in August. As of early December it was in the position marked Point Lake.

Finding organic compounds derived from Mars is not a big surprise. Meteors fall from Mars to Earth containing organic compounds. And having organic matter does not necessarily mean that there is life, the MESSENGER spacecraft recently discovered the possibility of organic matter in frozen craters near Mercury's poles.

Scientists need more time and more tests to determine the source of carbon on Mars.