Tag

Organics

All articles tagged with #organics

space15 days ago•3 min saved

Mars Rock Reveals Complex Organics: Fresh Clues in Jezero Crater

NASA’s Perseverance rover detected macromolecular carbon (MMC), a complex organic matter, in two Bright Angel mudstones at Jezero crater using the SHERLOC instrument, marking the most robust organic signal there to date and the first MMC identified on Martian rock surfaces. While intriguing, MMC can form through both biological and non-biological processes, so this does not prove past life; definitive testing would require returning samples to Earth, a plan hampered by political issues. Curiosity has also found organics elsewhere on Mars, underscoring ongoing interest in whether ancient microbes once inhabited the planet.

via Futurism|

#jezero-crater #mars #organics

space17 days ago•98 min saved

Perseverance Finds Complex Carbon in Martian Mudstones, Sparks Life-Biosignature Debate

NASA’s Perseverance rover detected hundreds of organic macromolecules inside two mudstones in Jezero Crater using SHERLOC, marking the strongest organic signal yet from Martian rocks. While the findings boost the possibility that ancient Mars could have hosted life, scientists caution the carbon could also form through non-biological processes, and the rover’s instruments can’t confirm biotic origin. The study, published in Science Advances, complements a prior potential biosignature at Cheyava Falls and suggests organics may have been widespread on early Mars, though more testing and sample return are needed.

via Space|

#jezero-crater #mars #nasa

science17 days ago•3 min saved

Mars Rocks Hint at Ancient Life, But Proof Remains Elusive

NASA’s Perseverance rover detected macromolecular carbon on Bright Angel mudstones in Jezero crater, a potential sign of ancient microbial life but non-biological processes could also produce such carbon; the rover’s measurements cannot confirm biogenicity, and Earth-based analyses of returned samples are needed for a definitive answer. This finding, together with Curiosity’s prior organics detections, suggests Mars may have been broadly habitable with widespread organics billions of years ago, though a dedicated sample-return mission is planned for the 2030s.

via The Guardian|

#bright-angel-outcrop #macromolecular-carbon #mars

space2 months ago•4 min saved

Contrasting Hues on Uranus’ Rings Suggest Distinct Origins

Using Hubble, JWST, and Keck, scientists show Uranus’ faint μ and ν rings have distinct colors and compositions: μ appears blue and icy, likely sourced from the moon Mab; ν appears red and dust-rich with 10–15% carbon-bearing organics, probably from micrometeorite impacts on rocky parent bodies. These differences raise questions about their origins and materials, and the rings—likely young and continually refreshed—will be monitored to track brightness changes and refine the system’s dynamics.

via Universe Today|

#mab #organics #rings

space4 months ago•70 min saved

Martian organics in ancient rock fuel life-signs debate

A NASA-led analysis of long-chain organic molecules found in the Cumberland mudstone sampled by the Curiosity rover suggests the organics could plausibly arise from biological processes. While nonbiological explanations were increasingly unlikely, the researchers stop short of proving past life on Mars, noting that larger molecules and definitive biosignatures may require Earth-based experiments and a future Mars sample-return mission.

via Live Science|

#astrobiology #cumberland-mudstone #curiosity

science4 months ago•4 min saved

Mars organics puzzle, cholesterol‑cutting drug, and 93% sleep apnea breakthrough dominate this week's science

A ScienceAlert weekly briefing highlights a Mars organics puzzle unsolved by non-biological processes; TLC-2716 reduces remnant cholesterol by up to 61% in a short trial; an implant-based sleep apnea treatment reports a 93% success rate; Alzheimer's linked to disrupted brain replay in mice; brain-aging reversal seen in lab by boosting DMTF1; and a Milky Way core model proposes fermionic dark matter rather than a black hole.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers #cholesterol #mars

science9 months ago•3 min saved

Organic Compounds and Complex Chemistry Boost Life Prospects on Enceladus

Scientists analyzing new ice grains from Saturn's moon Enceladus, based on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, found organic molecules that suggest the moon's subsurface ocean may have conditions suitable for life, bolstering its status as a prime candidate in the search for extraterrestrial habitability.

via ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos|

#enceladus #habitability #nasa

science9 months ago•3 min saved

Evidence of Organic Molecules in Enceladus's Ocean Boosts Possibility of Life

Scientists analyzing data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have discovered new types of organic molecules in icy geysers from Saturn's moon Enceladus, suggesting the moon's subsurface ocean may be habitable and further supporting the case for future exploration missions.

via AP News|

#enceladus #nasa-cassini #ocean-world

space2 years ago•3 min saved

Juno Discovers Salts and Organics on Ganymede's Surface

NASA's Juno mission has discovered mineral salts and organic compounds on the surface of Jupiter's moon Ganymede. The Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) spectrometer aboard the spacecraft collected data during a close flyby, revealing the presence of hydrated sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and possibly aliphatic aldehydes. These findings provide insights into the composition of Ganymede's deep ocean and its formation process. The spatial resolution of the JIRAM data was unprecedented, allowing scientists to analyze the unique spectral features of non-water-ice materials. Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter, has long been of interest due to its hidden internal ocean of water beneath its icy crust.

via NASA|

#ganymede #juno-mission #nasa

space-science2 years ago•5 min saved

Unraveling the Origins of Organics on Ceres through Hypervelocity Impact Experiments

New research using hypervelocity impact experiments and data from the Dawn spacecraft sheds light on the origin and distribution of aliphatic organics on the dwarf planet Ceres. The experiments simulated impact conditions on Ceres, revealing that the organics are resilient to impacts and may be more widespread than previously thought. The analysis of the data suggests that the organics likely formed on Ceres in the presence of water, increasing the astrobiological potential of the dwarf planet. The findings also have implications for understanding the distribution of organics in the outer solar system and may inform future missions to Ceres.

via Phys.org|

#astrobiology #ceres #dwarf-planet

space-science2 years ago•3 min saved

NASA's Historic Asteroid Sample Reveals Water, Organics, and Crucial Elements

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has successfully collected samples from the asteroid Bennu, with initial analysis revealing the presence of carbon and water in the material. The asteroid is believed to be a time capsule that can provide insights into the formation of terrestrial planets and the origins of life. Scientists hope that studying the samples will help answer questions about how Earth and Mars formed and whether asteroids played a role in delivering the building blocks for life. The recovered material will be loaned to scientists worldwide for further analysis.

via Ars Technica|

#asteroid-sample #nasa #organics

space3 years ago•7 min saved

"Uncovering the Mystery: The Potential Existence of Life on Mars and its Mysterious Disappearance"

The Viking 1 and 2 landers, which analyzed Martian soil for microbial life in the 1970s and 1980s, yielded inconclusive results. While some experiments suggested the presence of microorganisms, the lack of abundant organic material in the soil led scientists to dismiss the positive results as erroneous. However, a new theory suggests that the soil tests may have accidentally destroyed the microbes. Recent missions, such as Curiosity and Perseverance, have confirmed the presence of organics on Mars, which were previously thought to be contaminants. The addition of water to the soil samples may have drowned the dormant microbes, and it is speculated that Martian microbes could use hygroscopicity to absorb water directly from the atmosphere. Another possibility is that Martian microbes contain hydrogen peroxide, which could explain the puzzling Viking results. The intense heat from the analysis process may have killed the microbes, and the hydrogen peroxide could have reacted with organic compounds, producing carbon dioxide. The debate over whether the Viking landers found life on Mars continues, but the results provide valuable insights for future life-detection missions.

via EarthSky|

#mars #microbial-life #organics