NASA’s Curiosity rover has pinpointed the exact location on Mars of a mysterious methane gas source – a type of gas typically produced by microorganisms.
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Since 2012, the Curiosity rover has detected the presence of this gas six times but has been unable to determine its origin. After numerous analyses and experiments, scientists have begun to identify the source.
“We discovered an active emission area west and southwest of the Curiosity rover, northwest of the volcano’s mouth. Interestingly, NASA chose the landing site adjacent to the active methane emission point,” researchers at the California Institute of Technology revealed.
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In 2012, the Curiosity rover landed near the mouth of the Gale crater on Mars.
This discovery holds significant importance as almost all methane gases in Earth’s atmosphere have biological origins. Therefore, this could be a sign for scientists to begin searching for life on Mars.
Even if not sourced from living organisms, methane gas indicates geological activity on Mars associated with water – a vital component for life’s development on the planet.
Although it’s unclear whether this methane is generated by living organisms, its lifespan after detection is estimated to be 330 years, after which it will be completely destroyed upon exposure to sunlight. This suggests that something on Mars is indeed producing this gas. This question remains to be answered by scientists.
