NASA made an exciting discovery on Mars. The Curiosity Rover detected the presence of methane in Gale Crater, but with strange patterns: it only appeared at night and disappeared during the day. Furthermore, depending on the seasonality of the planet, it reached levels 40 times higher than usual.
This discovery raises questions about the possible existence of life on the red planet. According to the US space agency’s hypothesis, the gas could be sealed under a layer of solidified salt that releases it with changes in temperature. However, this has not yet been confirmed and new instruments and more resources would be needed to delve deeper into this research.
NASA scientists used the portable chemistry laboratory aboard the Curiosity roverknown as Sam (Analysis of Samples on Mars), to make this discovery. Finding methane on Mars is a great advance, since this gas can have different origins. According to experts, andIt is likely that the methane is a product of geological activity that involved the interaction between water and rocks in the depths of the red planet.
A study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: planets suggests methane could be trapped under layers of solid salt. Alexander Pavlov, a NASA planetary scientist, led this study and raises the possibility that salt forms in Martian soil composed of rocks and pulverized dust. According to Pavlov and his team of scientists, methane could be released in bursts when these layers of salt break down under pressure. This could explain why methane is mainly detected in Gale Crater, where the rover drilled and scoured the Martian surface.
This discovery brings with it many future possibilities. Valuable natural resources found on Mars could be key to the long-term sustainability of future colonies without the need to rely on Earth and other places. Without a doubt, these signs of methane are good news for the plans of NASA and other space agencies.
Alert at NASA: they discovered a mutant bacteria and there is concern
At the forefront of space science, The International Space Station (ISS) not only serves as a home for astronauts, but also as a laboratory for studies that take advantage of its unique environmental conditions.. Recently, a team of Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers spent two years meticulously studying the bacteria Enterobacter bugandensis on the ISS.
Under the environmental stress of the ISS, 13 strains of this bacteria “isolated from various places within the ISS” not only survived, but also mutated, differentiating themselves genetically and functionally from their terrestrial counterparts. According to a statement from the POTthese strains not only remained viable, but showed significant proliferation.
Even more worrying is that E. bugandensis coexisted with other microorganisms, in some cases favoring mutual survival, which could complicate the immunity and health of the astronauts.. The study, published in the journal Microbiomerevealed details about the dynamics of the microbial ecosystem and the interactions between microbial communities within the ISS.
Closed man-made environments, such as the ISS, are unique areas that provide an extreme environment subjected to microgravity, radiation and high levels of carbon dioxide, explained the NASA press release. Understanding these processes is crucial to improve disease prevention strategies in space missions and ensure the health and safety of astronauts from pathogenic threats.
