NASA’s Perseverance rover finds organic molecules in great volume and diversity on Mars

New findings from NASA’s Perseverance rover have indicated that significant amounts and diverse types of organic molecules, which are potential indicators of life, exist in the rocks at a site on Mars where a lake once existed.

The rover’s robotic arm is equipped with an instrument called SHERLOC, which allows for the analysis of organic molecules and detailed mapping. Researchers have reported the latest evidence from 10 locations on two geological formations within the Jezero crater.

The evidence collected suggests the presence of organic molecules in multiple rock samples, some of which may be returned to Earth for further analysis. However, the researchers emphasize that the discovery of these molecules does not prove the existence of past or present life on Mars, and non-biological processes are considered a more plausible explanation.

Astrobiologist Sunanda Sharma of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who led the research published in the journal Nature, stated that organic molecules can be formed through geological processes unrelated to life. Variations in the signals across the crater floor and the associated minerals provide insights into these molecules.

Perseverance touched down at Jezero crater in February 2021 with a mission to search for evidence of ancient life on Mars and collect soil and rock samples for potential return to Earth. The crater, located in the planet’s northern hemisphere, was once a water-filled area hosting an ancient lake basin.

Scientists believe that Mars was not always as inhospitable as it is now, with evidence suggesting the presence of microbial life in the Jezero crater. They speculate that river channels breached the crater wall and formed a lake over 3.5 billion years ago.

SHERLOC detected signals of organic molecules at all 10 studied locations on the crater floor, where the rocks were formed through volcanic processes. Study co-author Ryan Roppel explained that the chemical signatures could be attributed to compounds such as naphthalene or benzene, which can be of either biotic or synthetic origin. While the concentrations of these molecules are generally low, organic signals were observed in nearly every sampled rock.