A scientist at a Johnson Space Center lab in Houston holds a meteorite. The scientists have confirmed that the meteorite from Mars does not contain any evidence of ancient Martian life. 25 years ago, a NASA team announced that the rock's organic compounds may have been left by living creatures. Over the years, researchers took a closer look at that theory. A team of scientists led by Andrew Steele published their findings. The photo was taken by AP Photo/David J. Phillip.
The meteorite that caused a splash here on Earth decades ago has no evidence of ancient, primitive Martian life.
In 1996, a NASA-led team announced that organic compounds in the rock were left by living creatures. Over the decades, other scientists were skeptical of that premise, most recently by a team led by Andrew Steele.
Steele said the water flowing over the rock is the reason for the carbon-rich compounds. The findings are in a journal.
At least two impacts occurred near the rock, heating the planet's surrounding surface, before a third impact bounced it off the red planet and into space millions of years ago. The rock was found in 1984.
The researchers say that the tiny clumps of carbon that are present were formed by the ground moving through the cracks. They said that the same thing can happen on Earth and that it could explain the presence of methane on Mars.
The meteorite was found in a Johnson Space Center lab in Houston. The scientists have confirmed that the meteorite from Mars does not contain any evidence of ancient Martian life. 25 years ago, a NASA team announced that the rock's organic compounds may have been left by living creatures. Over the years, researchers took a closer look at that theory. A team of scientists led by Andrew Steele published their findings. The photo was taken by AP Photo/David J. Phillip.
Two scientists who took part in the original study were not happy with the latest findings. They said in a shared email that they stand by their 1996 observations.
Kathie Thomas-Keprta and Simon Clemett wrote that the interpretation of the data presented is not novel nor is it supported by the research.
Unsupported speculation doesn't help the cause of the origin of organic matter in the meteorite.
Steele said that technology made his team's findings possible.
The original researchers' life-claiming hypothesis was a reasonable interpretation at the time, and he praised the measurements by them. He said that he and his team took care to present their results for what they are, which is a very exciting discovery about Mars.
The Allan Hills rock was shown at a NASA news conference in 1996. The scientists have confirmed that the meteorite from Mars does not contain any evidence of ancient Martian life. 25 years ago, a NASA team announced that the rock's organic compounds may have been left by living creatures. Over the years, researchers took a closer look at that theory. A team of scientists led by Andrew Steele published their findings. The file is from AP Photo/Doug Mills.
The image was taken by the United Arab Emirate's "Amal" or "Hope" probe. The scientists have confirmed that the meteorite from Mars does not contain any evidence of ancient Martian life. 25 years ago, a NASA team announced that the rock's organic compounds may have been left by living creatures. Over the years, researchers took a closer look at that theory. A team of scientists led by Andrew Steele published their findings. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center is in the United Arab Emirates.
The Allan Hills rock was shown at a NASA news conference in 1996. The scientists have confirmed that the meteorite from Mars does not contain any evidence of ancient Martian life. 25 years ago, a NASA team announced that the rock's organic compounds may have been left by living creatures. Over the years, researchers took a closer look at that theory. A team of scientists led by Andrew Steele published their findings. The file is from AP Photo/Doug Mills.
The image was taken by the United Arab Emirate's "Amal" or "Hope" probe. The scientists have confirmed that the meteorite from Mars does not contain any evidence of ancient Martian life. 25 years ago, a NASA team announced that the rock's organic compounds may have been left by living creatures. Over the years, researchers took a closer look at that theory. A team of scientists led by Andrew Steele published their findings. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center is in the United Arab Emirates.
Steele said that this finding is huge for our understanding of how life started on this planet and helps refine the techniques we need to find life elsewhere on Mars or Enceladus.
Steele believes that the only way to prove that Mars ever had life is to bring samples to Earth. Six samples have been collected by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, and three dozen are desired.
After drifting through space for millions of years, the meteorite landed on an icefield. The name Allan Hills was given to the fragment by the hills where it was found.
There is more information on the Organic synthesis associated with serpentinization and mineral carbonation on early Mars. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg7905
Science journal information.
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