In 2025, scientists found long-chain organic molecules called alkanes in Martian mudstones. A new study led by Alexander Pavlov at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center raises intriguing questions about these molecules’ origins. The team believes that the amount of alkanes observed is hard to explain without considering biological processes, although they don’t claim this is definitive proof of life.
The initial findings showed alkanes in the Cumberland mudstone at about 30 to 50 parts per billion, which is relatively low. Pavlov’s team posed two key questions: Did these molecules exist in larger quantities before? And if so, how did they form?
Mars has been bombarded by radiation for nearly 80 million years, which likely broke down any original organic materials in the rock. By studying laboratory experiments on how radiation impacts organic substances, the researchers estimated the original concentration of alkanes could have been between 120 and 7,700 parts per million.
To explore the origins of these molecules, the researchers assessed various non-biological processes that could create alkanes, including space dust, meteorites, and chemical reactions like serpentinization. However, none of these methods came close to accounting for the high concentrations estimated.
“We believe the original mudstone contained much more organic material than current processes can explain,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
Importantly, the study doesn’t confirm the existence of life on Mars. The team stresses that further investigation is needed to understand Martian chemistry fully.
Interestingly, Mars is already known to contain various organic molecules, but now the focus is on what they reveal about the planet’s potential for supporting life. This ongoing exploration could reshape our understanding of habitability beyond Earth.
For more insights on Mars and organic molecules, you can read the research published in Astrobiology.
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