Earth-made petroleum contamination mimics Mars biosignatures, study finds
A study of the Murchison meteorite shows pristane and phytane—molecules long looked at as possible Mars biosignatures—occurred in equal, racemic amounts consistent with contamination from petroleum on Earth, not indigenous Martian life. By analyzing chiral forms and testing the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) on replica tubes, the research provides a realistic method to distinguish biological from non-biological organics and offers a procedural preview for Rosalind Franklin’s ExoMars mission, emphasizing that Earth-derived contamination can confound biosignature signals on Mars.
