According to data collected by the robot, the Martian environment lacks methane. This comes as a surprise to researchers as previous information had indicated positive detections. Crucially, this reduces the possibility that life ever survived there.
Over the past decade, scientists using Mars satellites and telescopes on Earth have reported plumes of methane in the Martian atmosphere. These small but potentially crucial amounts of methane would have indicated the possibility of life on the Red Planet. On Earth, the vast majority of methane in the atmosphere is caused by organic life. The rover is now 14 months into a planned two-year mission to search for signs of organic life.
However, not all scientists are convinced that methane is missing there. And according to the twitter account of the Rover itself, there is still a chance that life once existed on Mars. On 19 September, one of its messages read “Lack of methane doesn’t mean Mars never supported life. Plenty of Earth organisms don’t produce the gas.”
And the debate is still open. It’s hoped an upcoming Indian mission will provide further information on the question. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, scheduled to be launched at the end of October, will explore the existence of life on the Red Planet.
To read more about India's mission to Mars, click here.
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