A local increase in methane concentrations was detected by the robotic vehicle Curiosity, μια ανακάλυψη που είναι πιθανόν να υποδηλώνει την ύπαρξη ζωντανών μικροοργανισμών στην περιοχή. Οι μετρήσεις προήλθαν από τον κρατήρα Γκέιλ στον Κόκκινο Πλανήτη, τον οποίο εξέτασε για δύο μήνες το ρομπότ. Έτσι, τα δεδομένα που προέκυψαν δείχνουν πως τα μέσα επίπεδα μεθανίου παρουσίασαν τοπική αύξηση κατά 1000%.
The discovery can prove to be historic, as methane production is considered to be one of the basic characteristics of biological activity, at least based on life forms existing on Earth. Thus, it is likely to mean that in the past, or even today, the Red Planet "hosted" living beings.
On the other hand, for the moment at least, it can not be excluded that emissions are due to a different cause, such as a geological phenomenon. "It's impossible to come up with safe conclusions from a mere measurement," said Paul Spacefield, one of the authors of the article describing the discovery and researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
"All we can do right now is to appreciate the various possible scenarios. Even if there are actually microbes on Mars, which produce methane, it is just a guess at the moment, "he added.
A hole that opened the Curiosity on a rock on Mars in order to collect a sample.
The study was published online yesterday on the website of the journal Science. In addition to the above finding, in it the scientists reveal that the atmospheric levels of methane on the Red Planet are about 0,7 parts per billion (ppb). This number is smaller από τις προηγούμενες εκτιμήσεις και υπολογισμούς, αρκετά όμως μεγαλύτερο από παλιότερες ανάλογες μετρήσεις του Curiosity.
These measurements were published last year, indicating that there is no trace of methane in the Martian atmosphere. This time, however, the scientists found a way to gather larger gas samples so that the new data to be more reliable.
Last year, the news that there was no methane in Mars had disappointed several researchers, as it seemed to mean that there is no biological activity on the planet. The new research, however, raises hopes, as it may indicate that Mars conditions were not so "inhospitable" to any form of life.
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