NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Physicist Reveals New Discoveries in the Quest for Martian Life.
“Our results show that amino acids are destroyed by cosmic rays in Martian surface rocks and regenerate at a much faster rate than previously thought,” reported physicist Alexander Pavlov from Goddard, as cited by Science Alert.
He noted that current Mars exploration missions are drilling down to a depth of only 5 cm. At that depth, it takes just 20 million years to completely destroy amino acids, not to mention that certain materials characteristic of Mars will further accelerate the destruction. This could be the reason why the ancient life that NASA has long been searching for has yet to be revealed.
NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rover drilling efforts on Mars may be “a futile endeavor” – (Photo: NASA)
According to Dr. Pavlov, to find what they dream of – such as fossils of Martian organisms – scientists need to drill at least 2 meters deep to reach any intact materials of life that have not been erased by radiation.
This discovery comes from an experiment to test the durability of these compounds against radiation by mixing amino acids with a mineral mixture designed to mimic Martian conditions, placing it in an environment with temperatures similar to those on Mars.
In the best-case scenario, any amino acids present on the Martian surface from 100 million years ago or longer have been “irradiated into oblivion.”
With the form of life that NASA is searching for – billions of years old, from the time when Mars had water and was suitable for life – the recent efforts of the two rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance, are merely “a futile endeavor,” as they only drill a few centimeters deep.
Thus, this space agency will need to find other ways for its pursuit of life in future missions.
Harsh Radiation Surrounding Mars’ Surface – due to the lack of a magnetic field and a thin atmosphere – has long been a concern for scientists, as it is an enemy of life. Earth can sustain life largely due to its magnetic field and dense atmosphere, which protect all living beings from the harsh radiation from the Sun while maintaining warmth.
