Nasa’s Perseverance rover has discovered diverse organic matter in the Jezero crater on Mars. The findings suggest that a more complex system than previously thought may have existed in the past.
Researchers suggest a number of different explanations for the origins of organic matter on the red planet. These include water–rock interactions, or deposits by interplanetary dust or meteors, although biotic origins – derived from living organisms – have not been discounted.
According to the study, understanding more about Martian organic matter could shed light on the availability of carbon sources, with implications for the search for potential signs of life. The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (Sherloc) instrument on the rover is the first tool to enable fine-scale mapping and analysis of organic molecules and minerals on Mars.
