For nearly 12 years, NASA's Curiosity rover has been actively collecting samples from the surface of Mars and continuously making groundbreaking discoveries. The recent findings related&nbsp;to the properties of the organic material present on the red planet have challenged the existing knowledge of scientists on both Mars and Earth.

The material discovered has properties that are generally a sign of microorganisms on Earth. However, they can also be due to non-biological, chemical functions. The findings published in Nature Geoscience have baffled researchers from where it came into being.

According to researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Tokyo Institute of Technology, who are collaborating on this research, this discovery can help&nbsp;understand how life came into being billions of years ago on our planet Earth.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/earth-witnessed-never-ever-seen-polar-rain-aurora-heres-how-this-eerie-glow-was-formed-738543">Earth witnessed never-ever-seen 'polar rain' aurora. Here's how this eerie glow was formed</a>

Co-author of the study, Matthew Johnson of the University of Copenhagen calls this discovery "the smoking gun", which confirms a decade-old theory of so-called photolysis in the atmosphere of Mars.

"Such carbon-based complex molecules are the prerequisite of life, the building blocks of life, one might say," he said. "So, this is a bit like the old debate about which came first, the chicken or the egg. We show that the organic material found on Mars has been formed through atmospheric photochemical reactions – without life that is. This is the 'egg', a prerequisite of life. It still remains to be shown whether or not this organic material resulted in life on the red planet."

The concept that photolysis, a process in which molecules are broken apart by light, plays a role in the organic chemistry of Mars has been going about for a long time. However, hard evidence to support the theory has not been found.&nbsp;

"The smoking gun here is that the ratio of carbon isotopes in it exactly matches our predictions in the quantum chemical simulations, but there was a missing piece in the puzzle. We were missing the other product of this chemical process to confirm the theory, and that's what we've now obtained," said Johnson.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-is-on-alert-as-gigantic-asteroid-size-of-statue-of-liberty-is-hurtling-towards-earth-at-65215-kmph-738357">NASA is on alert as gigantic&nbsp;asteroid, size of Statue of Liberty, is hurtling towards Earth at 65,215 kmph</a>

The discovery was made by the Curiosity rover in the Gale Crater including carbon-13 depletion in the samples of carbonate minerals, which mirrors the same elements found in a previous discovery from the Martian meteorite that formed the basis of the initial theory.

This strong piece of evidence gives us clues about the origins of organic material on Earth. Since Earth, Mars, and Venus have similar atmospheres, the same processes likely occurred on our planet.

"We have not yet found this 'smoking gun' material here on Earth to prove that the process took place. Perhaps because Earth's surface is much more alive, geologically and literally, and therefore constantly changing," said Johnson.

"But it is a big step that we have now found it on Mars, from a time when the two planets were very similar."

(With inputs from agencies)

For nearly 12 years, NASA's Curiosity rover has been actively collecting samples from the surface of Mars and continuously making groundbreaking discoveries. The recent findings related to the properties of the organic material present on the red planet have challenged the existing knowledge of scientists on both Mars and Earth.

For nearly 12 years, NASA's Curiosity rover has been actively collecting samples from the surface of Mars and continuously making groundbreaking discoveries. The recent findings related to the properties of the organic material present on the red planet have challenged the existing knowledge of scientists on both Mars and Earth. The material discovered has properties that are generally a sign of microorganisms on Earth. However, they can also be due to non-biological, chemical functions. The findings published in Nature Geoscience have baffled researchers from where it came into being. According to researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Tokyo Institute of Technology, who are collaborating on this research, this discovery can help understand how life came into being billions of years ago on our planet Earth. Also Read | Earth witnessed never-ever-seen 'polar rain' aurora. Here's how this eerie glow was formed Co-author of the study, Matthew Johnson of the University of Copenhagen calls this discovery "the smoking gun", which confirms a decade-old theory of so-called photolysis in the atmosphere of Mars. "Such carbon-based complex molecules are the prerequisite of life, the building blocks of life, one might say," he said. "So, this is a bit like the old debate about which came first, the chicken or the egg. We show that the organic material found on Mars has been formed through atmospheric photochemical reactions – without life that is. This is the 'egg', a prerequisite of life. It still remains to be shown whether or not this organic material resulted in life on the red planet." The concept that photolysis, a process in which molecules are broken apart by light, plays a role in the organic chemistry of Mars has been going about for a long time. However, hard evidence to support the theory has not been found. "The smoking gun here is that the ratio of carbon isotopes in it exactly matches our predictions in the quantum chemical simulations, but there was a missing piece in the puzzle. We were missing the other product of this chemical process to confirm the theory, and that's what we've now obtained," said Johnson. Also Read | NASA is on alert as gigantic asteroid, size of Statue of Liberty, is hurtling towards Earth at 65,215 kmph The discovery was made by the Curiosity rover in the Gale Crater including carbon-13 depletion in the samples of carbonate minerals, which mirrors the same elements found in a previous discovery from the Martian meteorite that formed the basis of the initial theory. This strong piece of evidence gives us clues about the origins of organic material on Earth. Since Earth, Mars, and Venus have similar atmospheres, the same processes likely occurred on our planet. "We have not yet found this 'smoking gun' material here on Earth to prove that the process took place. Perhaps because Earth's surface is much more alive, geologically and literally, and therefore constantly changing," said Johnson. "But it is a big step that we have now found it on Mars, from a time when the two planets were very similar." (With inputs from agencies)

Organic material found on Mars by Curiosity rover may reveal clues to life on Earth

The 'Last Chance Lake' in Canada's British Columbia province contains the highest levels of concentrated phosphate ever recorded in any natural body of water on Earth. The shallow body of water reportedly contains precise blend of chemicals that could point to origin of life on Earth.&nbsp;

The salty body of water situated on volcanic rock is much like the carbonate-rich lakes in ancient Earth that could have been a "cradle of life", according to a study.&nbsp;

The finding, published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-01192-8">Nature</a> journal, could expand humanity's understanding of how life began.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-discovers-super-earth-with-habitable-zone-this-planet-137-light-years-away-assures-687327">NASA discovers ‘super-Earth’ with habitable zone. This planet 137 light years away assures…</a>

"We were able to look for the specific conditions that people use to synthesise the building blocks of life in nature," the study coauthor David Catling, a University of Washington professor of geosciences, was quoted as saying by CNN.

"We think that we have a very promising place for the origin of life."

<h2>How the study was conducted?</h2>

Between the years 2021 and 2022, a team of researchers visited Last Chance Lake to collect and analyse water and sediment samples. They reportedly discovered that the lake is also a hotbed to the mineral dolomite. They allow phosporous to build up in this environment that formed in response to a reaction between calcium, magnesium and carbonate.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-was-more-charming-for-aliens-when-dinosaurs-existed-657525">Earth was more charming for aliens when dinosaurs existed, suggests study</a>

These reactions effectively produced the unique concentrations of phosphate. Scientists believe that these are the type of conditions that could have led to the emergence of life on Earth.&nbsp;

"We are adding credibility to the idea that this type of environment would be favorable to the origin of life, and is plausible," Sebastian Haas, a postdoctoral researcher studying the microbiology and chemistry of aquatic environments at the University of Washington who led the research paper, was quoted as saying by the CNN.

Also watch |&nbsp;Remains of an ancient planet lie deep within earth

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"There’s every reason to believe that similar lakes would have occurred on the first land about 4 billion years ago because the volcanic rocks that Last Chance Lake sits on are basically a prerequisite for forming soda lakes," Haas said.&nbsp;

<h2>Study supports existing theory on how life appeared on Earth</h2>

A pre-existing theory on how life appeared on Earth billions of years ago is that it began in hydrothermal vents in the deep sea.&nbsp;

The new study adds to the body of evidence that supports the warm little pond hypothesis, according to Matthew Pasek, a professor at the University of South Florida who studies phosphorus chemistry and origin of life sciences but was not involved in the study.

(With inputs from agencies)

The 'Last Chance Lake' in Canada's British Columbia province contains the highest levels of concentrated phosphate ever recorded in any natural body of water on Earth.

The 'Last Chance Lake' in Canada's British Columbia province contains the highest levels of concentrated phosphate ever recorded in any natural body of water on Earth. The shallow body of water reportedly contains precise blend of chemicals that could point to origin of life on Earth. The salty body of water situated on volcanic rock is much like the carbonate-rich lakes in ancient Earth that could have been a "cradle of life", according to a study. The finding, published in the Nature journal, could expand humanity's understanding of how life began. Also read | NASA discovers ‘super-Earth’ with habitable zone. This planet 137 light years away assures… "We were able to look for the specific conditions that people use to synthesise the building blocks of life in nature," the study coauthor David Catling, a University of Washington professor of geosciences, was quoted as saying by CNN. "We think that we have a very promising place for the origin of life." How the study was conducted? Between the years 2021 and 2022, a team of researchers visited Last Chance Lake to collect and analyse water and sediment samples. They reportedly discovered that the lake is also a hotbed to the mineral dolomite. They allow phosporous to build up in this environment that formed in response to a reaction between calcium, magnesium and carbonate. Also read | Earth was more charming for aliens when dinosaurs existed, suggests study These reactions effectively produced the unique concentrations of phosphate. Scientists believe that these are the type of conditions that could have led to the emergence of life on Earth. "We are adding credibility to the idea that this type of environment would be favorable to the origin of life, and is plausible," Sebastian Haas, a postdoctoral researcher studying the microbiology and chemistry of aquatic environments at the University of Washington who led the research paper, was quoted as saying by the CNN. Also watch | Remains of an ancient planet lie deep within earth × "There’s every reason to believe that similar lakes would have occurred on the first land about 4 billion years ago because the volcanic rocks that Last Chance Lake sits on are basically a prerequisite for forming soda lakes," Haas said. Study supports existing theory on how life appeared on Earth A pre-existing theory on how life appeared on Earth billions of years ago is that it began in hydrothermal vents in the deep sea. The new study adds to the body of evidence that supports the warm little pond hypothesis, according to Matthew Pasek, a professor at the University of South Florida who studies phosphorus chemistry and origin of life sciences but was not involved in the study. (With inputs from agencies)

Canada's Last Chance Lake may hold secret to Earth's first chance at life: Study

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Organic material found on Mars by Curiosity rover may reveal clues to life on Earth

Canada's Last Chance Lake may hold secret to Earth's first chance at life: Study