A group of scientists, led by Doctor Nigel Blamey of Brock University, Ontario, Canada, have found that, by crushing meteoritic rocks from Mars, a methane-rich component is exuded. From this, the group's findings have concluded that existing, or historic, subsurface life on Mars may use, or have used, methane as a source of energy for microbiological processes.
From the extract of their paper, entitled Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites and published in Nature Communications:
"The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity."
The finding lends weight to the theory that Mars may host at least simple microbial life, possibly below its seemingly inhospitable surface. Last year, NASA found venting plumes of methane on Mars, the strongest sign so far of the possibility of extant life on the planet.
Image Credit: BBC
