(ORDO NEWS) — Recently, an international team of scientists led by the Technical University of Munich investigated the Martian meteorite Tissint, which fell on July 18, 2011 near the village of Tissint (Morocco), while pieces of the meteorite were found at a distance of about 50 kilometers from the village.
The most intriguing thing about this rock is the presence of “tremendous organic diversity,” which the researchers believe will help scientists better understand whether life ever existed on Mars.
“Mars and Earth share many aspects of their evolution,” said study lead author Dr Philipp Schmitt-Kopplin of the Technical University of Munich.
“And while life originated and thrived on our planet, the question of whether it ever existed on Mars is a highly relevant research topic that requires deeper knowledge about water, organic molecules and the reactive surfaces of our neighboring planet.”
Organic molecules are molecules made up of carbon atoms that are bonded to hydrogen atoms, but can also contain oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements.
The four main classes of organic molecules include carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.
As seen on Earth, organic molecules are analogous to life, but the study notes that abiotic organic chemistry, non-biological processes, have been observed “in other Martian meteorites.”
“Understanding the processes and sequence of events that shaped this rich organic wealth will reveal new details about the habitability of Mars and possibly about the reactions that could lead to the formation of life,” said Carnegie Science scientist Andrew Steele, who is part of the campaign team on Mars. return of samples from Mars.
Dr. Steele has also done extensive research on organic material found in Martian meteorites, including Tissint.
The researchers studied the entire organic composition of Tissint and revealed the “diverse chemical composition and abundance of complex molecules,” the study notes, and helped unravel past geologic processes in the Red Planet’s crust and mantle.
The researchers also identified a variety of organic magnesium compounds that have never been seen before on Mars, which could provide new evidence for the geochemical processes that shaped the deep interior of Mars and possibly establish a link between the Red Planet’s mineral evolution and the carbon cycle.
NASA‘s upcoming Mars sample return mission could provide even more insight into both the organic and mineral composition of the Red Planet.
Tissint has a total weight of 7 kilograms and is currently the fifth meteorite of Martian origin. A 2012 study found that it was ejected from Mars approximately 700,000 years ago in some catastrophic event.
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