Jpl-official-blog - Official Tumblr Of Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Planet Series - Beau Wright

Curiosity Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars

NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has measured a tenfold spike in methane, an organic chemical, in the atmosphere around it and detected other organic molecules in a rock-powder sample collected by the robotic laboratory’s drill.

Researchers used Curiosity’s onboard Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) laboratory a dozen times in a 20-month period to sniff methane in the atmosphere. During two of those months, in late 2013 and early 2014, four measurements averaged seven parts per billion. Before and after that, readings averaged only one-tenth that level.

Curiosity also detected different Martian organic chemicals in powder drilled from a rock dubbed Cumberland, the first definitive detection of organics in surface materials of Mars. These Martian organics could either have formed on Mars or been delivered to Mars by meteorites.

Organic molecules, which contain carbon and usually hydrogen, are chemical building blocks of life, although they can exist without the presence of life. Curiosity’s findings from analyzing samples of atmosphere and rock powder do not reveal whether Mars has ever harbored living microbes, but the findings do shed light on a chemically active modern Mars and on favorable conditions for life on ancient Mars.

For more information:

Mars methane detection and variability at Gale crater

Habitability, Taphonomy, and the Search for Organic Carbon on Mars

Recent Findings from NASA’s Curiosity Rover about Modern and Ancient Mars

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

The innermost D ring of Saturn.

Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute

Try driving on Mars: https://eyes.nasa.gov/curiosity/

Like it? Last day to vote for it in the Webby Awards: http://bit.ly/1VEE0tn

Jupiter’s south pole, taken by Cassini

Life on Mars…Maybe

A sample pulled from Mars just last month has been thoroughly examined by the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, and earlier today scientists declared that they have finally found solid evidence that Mars could have once sustained life.

From mission lead scientist John Grotzinger of Caltech:

“We have found a habitable environment that is so benign and is so supportive of life that probably if this water was around and you had been on the planet, you would have been able to drink it.“

Read more via Science Now.

Photos: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/MSSS

Happy “Back to the Future Day”!

Find out more about @nasa​‘s real journey to Mars:

https://www.nasa.gov/journeytomars

Ahh, scientists. Impatient, but the best

Fifty years ago, a bunch of impatient scientists didn’t want to wait all day for a computer to compute the very first digital photo of Mars, so they colored the printout with pastels and made the print themselves.

Yeah but actually do it tho…

Reblog this if its okay for your followers to introduce themselves to you.

Just come to my ask box and tell me stuff about yourself. Your pets. Your favorite music. What you had for breakfast this morning. Literally anything you want, I love making new friends