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First Boron Detection On Mars Points To Possible Martian Life In The Past
Captured by NASA’s Curiosity rover, a rock outcrop pops out from a Martian surface that is elsewhere blanketed by reddish-brown dust, showing evidence for an ancient, flowing stream. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS via Getty Images)
NASA’s Curiosity rover has detected boron for the first time on the surface of Mars, indicating the potential for long-term habitable groundwater in the ancient past. Patrick Gasda of the US Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico said:
The temperature, pH, and dissolved mineral content of the groundwater could make it habitable, according to the scientists. Boron is famously associated with arid sites where much water has evaporated. However, environmental implications of the boron found by Curiosity are still open to debate.
Whether Martian life has ever existed is still unknown. No compelling evidence for it has been found. When Curiosity landed in Mars' Gale Crater in 2012, the mission's main goal was to determine whether the area ever offered an environment favourable for microbes.
With inputs from IANS
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