While much has been made about the potential for past microbial on life on Mars, a team of scientists discovered what could possibly support life on Mars in the future.
According to Space.com, authors of a study published in the journal Nature Communications found traces of methane in meteorites that came from the Red Planet. The emphasized that it only means Mars could possibly support some form of "microbial activity," and is not an indicator of past life.
"Other researchers will be keen to replicate these findings using alternative measurement tools and techniques," study co-author Sean McMahon, a Yale University postdoctoral associate in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, said in a press release. "Our findings will likely be used by astrobiologists in models and experiments aimed at understanding whether life could survive below the surface of Mars today."
Mars Express, a European Space Agency spacecraft, first noticed methane in or around Mars when the probe found traces of the colorless, odorless gas in the atmosphere in 2003, Space.com noted. NASA's Curiosity rover has also noticed curious methane traces as recently as last year.
Nigel Blamey, a geochemist at Brock University and lead author on the study, told Space.com he and his team analyzed six meteorites that made their way from Mars to Earth. He said they were keen to try to only examine the rocks' interiors for more accurate readings.
"One of the most exciting developments in the exploration of Mars has been the suggestion of methane in the Martian atmosphere," John Parnell, a professor at the University of Aberdeen, said in the release. "Recent and forthcoming missions by NASA and the European Space Agency, respectively, are looking at this, however, it is so far unclear where the methane comes from, and even whether it is really there. However, our research provides a strong indication that rocks on Mars contain a large reservoir of methane."
