Curiosity finds evidence of past life-supporting conditions on Mars
MAR 13, 2013
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026838
BBC : One month ago the Mars rover Curiosity drilled its first rock sample . An analysis found evidence for conditions that could have supported life. The sample was 20â30% smectite , a collection of clay minerals. The minerals’ high concentration and the lack of salts indicate the past presence of fresh water. The additional presence of calcium sulphates suggests that the water’s pH level was neutral or mildly alkaline. The sample also included a wide range of the basic chemical elements of life and oxidized forms of chemicals. The oxidized chemicals indicate that electrons were able to flow through the environment; studies have shown that simple life forms on Earth can co-opt the electrons for energy. It is likely that Yellowknife Bay, the area of Gale Crater that Curiosity is exploring, was once a freshwater lake.
© 2013 American Institute of Physics
