[ad_1]
Japanese scientists managed to establish the alien origin of organic compounds in a meteorite found in Antarctica 36 years ago.
For several decades, scientists have been trying to understand if organic compounds exist on Mars and, if so, where they come from. Although recent studies have provided compelling evidence for the presence of organic substances on this planet, researchers know very little about the age and origin of these molecules, as well as their possible biochemical activity.
A group of Japanese scientists found organic substances that contain nitrogen in the carbonate minerals of the Martian meteorite. An article on this discovery is published in the publication. Nature’s Communications. The molecules found have been conserved on the Red Planet since the Nooy period, the early era of Mars geological development, that is, they are approximately four billion years old. Since carbonate minerals generally precipitate from groundwater, this discovery indicates that once the neighboring planet was rich in moisture and organic matter, and was consequently quite suitable for the development of life.
Martian meteorites are chunks of rock thrown into space as a result of the impacts of celestial bodies on the surface of Mars and then ended up on Earth. One of the most important Martian meteorites for science is ALH84001, found in 1984 in Antarctica. It was he who was studied by Japanese researchers.
ALH84001 contains fairly large inclusions of carbonate minerals with organic elements, making it a popular research object. However, all previous attempts to analyze the organic substances contained in the meteorite were unsuccessful: it was extremely difficult to determine which molecules really are from Mars due to contamination by Antarctic ice.
For the new study, special sample preparation methods were used to help eliminate the problem of contamination. For example, scientists separated small grains with a diameter of no more than human hair on a silver ribbon from the main meteorite. The contaminants in these grains were then removed using an ultra-precise ion beam device. For the detection of organic nitrogen, the leading edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (µ-XANES) technique was used, which allowed nitrogen to be detected in minimal amounts and strictly in the composition of organic molecules.
Extensive testing of samples gave scientists an opportunity to argue that the molecules discovered with a very high probability reached Earth from Mars. The researchers also found that the ratio of nitrogen in the form of nitrate, one of the most powerful oxidizing agents on the red planet today, is minimal among these molecules. This suggests that the atmosphere of early Mars was much less oxidizing than what we are observing now.
Based on the study results, scientists still have quite a few questions. The most important of them: where do these organic substances come from on a neighboring planet? “At the dawn of the solar system’s history, Mars was likely bombarded with significant amounts of organic matter, for example, from meteorites, comets, and carbon-rich dust particles. Some of them may have dissolved in the brine and ended up inside the carbonates, “says one of the study’s authors, Atsuko Kobayashi, expressing the most likely version. However, organic compounds may have already formed on Mars, in the process of chemical reactions.
Did you find a typo? Select the fragment and press Ctrl + Enter.
