Molecules containing carbon atoms, called organics, have been found all over Mars and could hypothetically have been formed by living organisms, but it seems they were not
. The rock then dissolves to leave behind the hydrogen and carbon dioxide that then react to create organic molecules. “Life isn’t part of this process,” says Steele.
However, even though the organics in Mars rocks seem to be created abiotically – without the help of any life – those compounds could still be important in the hunt for life on Mars. “Understanding the carbon cycle on Mars is really important to baselining life,” says Steele. “Abiotic chemistry gives you a background, and life picks and chooses what it needs from that and concentrates those up, so to find life you look for higher concentrations of those background abiotic levels.”
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