Simple reason can explain the absence of life on Mars

Some mysterious signs were discovered by researchers in Chile when they tested the mineralogy of the Stone Vermelha, an ancient river mouth in the Atacama Desert of Chile that contains sand and rock rich in hematite and claystone. This region is often used as a model for the red planet, due to its geological similarity to parts of Mars.

Experts argue that improving our ability to identify long-dead “microbial dark matter” requires improving current technology. That's because without it, life on Mars will remain a mystery, especially if the life we're looking for existed billions of years ago, when the planet was hotter and wetter than it is today.

Researchers at the Autonomous University of Chile found that 40% of the genetic sequences could not be assigned to any taxon specific (taxonomic unit associated with the scientific classification of living beings), while almost 9% were categorized as “not classified”. This lack of classification is referred to by researchers as the “dark microbiome”. Pedra Vermelha, in the Atacama Desert, may contain new and unknown microbial species that have not been found elsewhere.

Researchers in Chile analyzed samples of the red rock using test instruments designed for use on Mars or intended for Mars, and the results showed that detecting microorganisms is an even greater challenge, with detection limited or absent in most cases.

Although the Perseverance rover found "strong signs" of organic matter on Mars last year, these molecules are not necessarily indicative of life. The Chilean researchers say it is difficult, if not impossible, to detect low levels of organic compounds in Martian rocks, depending on the instrument and technique used. These results reveal the difficulty in identifying life on Mars, even if it exists.

Published in Nature Communications, a recent study reinforces the importance of sampling Mars and bring them back to Earth in order to definitively determine whether or not life existed on the planet. red. NASA has been planning this collection for years, but the challenge is enormous since it has to send a mission to the distant planet. The date for such an undertaking is scheduled for the years 2030 or 2040, however, it is expected that, by there, the technology has advanced enough to more accurately examine the samples collected.