"While sampling ancient, dry riverbed rocks on Mars, NASA's Perseverance rover found something astonishing. An unusual rock contained organic, carbon-bearing minerals. Reaction fronts were enriched with iron, phosphorous, and sulfurous compounds. That organic carbon must have participated in post-depositional reduction/oxidation (redox) reactions. Many call this a potential biosignature, accompanied by extraordinary claims about Martian life. But finding "organics" anywhere says little-to-nothing about life."
"In common parlance, "organic" is synonymous with life: implying creation through biological processes. But in science, an "organic" molecule is just a carbon atom bonded to almost any other atom. "Organic molecules" include methane, cyanide, benzene, and alcohols. Carbon is the 4th most abundant element in the Universe, behind only hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. 256 unique organic compounds have been found in interstellar dust clouds. Alcohols, acids, aldehydes, amines, and hydrocarbons abound in star-forming regions."
"Denser, solid bodies, like asteroids, contain highly complex organics. Even Curiosity, prior to Perseverance, found organics on Mars. All hitherto discovered Martian minerals can also be produced abiotically: without life's involvement. We've only attained Level 1 on the Confidence of Life Detection (CoLD) scale. Even study lead Joel Hurowitz emphatically warned against premature overreactions. Mostly Mute Monday tells an astronomical story in images, visuals, and no more than 200 words."
NASA's Perseverance rover sampled ancient dry riverbed rocks on Mars and found an unusual rock containing organic, carbon-bearing minerals. Reaction fronts in the rock were enriched with iron, phosphorous, and sulfurous compounds, indicating that the organic carbon experienced post-depositional reduction/oxidation (redox) reactions. Organic molecules are chemically defined as carbon atoms bonded to other atoms and include methane, cyanide, benzene, and alcohols. Organic compounds are abundant throughout the galaxy and in asteroids, and previous missions like Curiosity detected organics on Mars. All known Martian minerals can form abiotically, and confidence of life detection remains at Level 1 on the CoLD scale. Study lead Joel Hurowitz warned against premature overreactions.
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