There is something very strange about the Mars samples taken by Curiosity

Carbon isotope analysis is one of the most useful tools for astronomy. First of all, this can be done on board the rovers that we send to other planets. To continue, carbon decomposition allows us to learn about many biological and geological processes.Gecos. Isotope analysis by the Curiosity rover has found something very strange while excavating Earth at Gale Crater on Mars.

24 . analysis Samples taken by the rover between August 2012 and July 2021 reveal a surprising contrast in the terrain’s mixture of carbon isotopes. Especially between carbon 12 and carbon 13.

In other words, it sounds a bit abstract, but the point is that their ratio reveals the various geological processes that a planet goes through, and it seems that these processes were completely alien to Mars. researchers University of Pennsylvaniafor himLavania Under the supervision of geologist Christopher House, they found only three possible explanations for the mixture of isotopes found on Mars.. The first is that the solar system has passed through a cloud of cosmic dust. On its journey through the Milky Way, our Solar System is thought to pass through a region of dust every 200 million years. This event would have produced a temperature drop on Mars accompanied by a thin layer of sediment that became trapped in the freezing water.

The second explanation relates to the ultraviolet radiation received by the surface of Mars through itnew atmosphere. This radiation can break a moleorganic ash formaldehydeHe went to generate carbon dioxide. Although this interpretation has been predicted by some geological models, it is still Requires more data to validate. Despite this lack of validation, the study authors have just published in PNAS They think this is the explanation Probably out of the three

The third explanation is that the carbon isotope variance is biological in origin. That is, some microscopic life form produced the methane that left that mark on Earth. The problem, of course, is the same as always. Such a microorganism must have left archaeological excavations, and we have not found any such evidence.

Curiosity is still close and will be back in the digging area in about a month. Perhaps you can then collect more data to confirm or rule out these three hypotheses.[[[[[University of Pennsylvania via Science alert]