Latest news with #Tutolo
Yomiuri Shimbun
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
NASA Rover Finds Fresh Evidence of Warm, Wet past of Mars
NASA / Handout via Reuters, file A 'self-portrait' of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle on Vera Rubin Ridge on the planet Mars, according to NASA, in this photo mosaic assembled from dozens of images taken and released in January 2018. WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A mineral called siderite found abundantly in rock drilled by a NASA rover on the surface of Mars is providing fresh evidence of the planet's warmer and wetter ancient past when it boasted substantial bodies of water and potentially harbored life. The Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in 2012 to explore whether Earth's planetary neighbor was ever able to support microbial life, found the mineral in rock samples drilled at three locations in 2022 and 2023 inside Gale crater, a large impact basin with a mountain in the middle. Siderite is an iron carbonate mineral. Its presence in sedimentary rocks formed billions of years ago offers evidence that Mars once had a dense atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide, a gas that would have warmed the planet through the greenhouse effect to the point that it could sustain bodies of liquid water on its surface. There are features on the Martian landscape that many scientists have interpreted as signs that liquid water once flowed across its surface, with potential oceans, lakes and rivers considered as possible habitats for past microbial life. Carbon dioxide is the main climate-regulating greenhouse gas on Earth, as it is on Mars and Venus. Its presence in the atmosphere traps heat from the sun, warming the climate. Until now, evidence indicating the Martian atmosphere previously was rich in carbon dioxide has been sparse. The hypothesis is that when the atmosphere — for reasons not fully understood — evolved from thick and rich in carbon dioxide to thin and starved of this gas, the carbon through geochemical processes became entombed in rocks in the planet's crust as a carbonate mineral. The samples obtained by Curiosity, which drills 3 to 4 centimeters down into rock to study its chemical and mineral composition, lend weight to this notion. The samples contained up to 10.5% siderite by weight, as determined by an instrument onboard the car-sized, six-wheeled rover. 'One of the longstanding mysteries in the study of Martian planetary evolution and habitability is: If large amounts of carbon dioxide were required to warm the planet and stabilize liquid water, why are there so few detections of carbonate minerals on the Martian surface?' said University of Calgary geochemist Benjamin Tutolo, a participating scientist on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover team and lead author of the study published on April 17 in the journal Science. 'Models predict that carbonate minerals should be widespread. But, to date, rover-based investigations and satellite-based orbital surveys of the Martian surface had found little evidence of their presence,' Tutolo added. Because rock similar to that sampled by the rover has been identified globally on Mars, the researchers suspect it too contains an abundance of carbonate minerals and may hold a substantial portion of the carbon dioxide that once warmed Mars. The Gale crater sedimentary rocks — sandstones and mudstones — are thought to have been deposited around 3.5 billion years ago, when this was the site of a lake and before the Martian climate underwent a dramatic change. 'The shift of Mars' surface from more habitable in the past, to apparently sterile today, is the largest-known environmental catastrophe,' said planetary scientist and study coauthor Edwin Kite of the University of Chicago and Astera Institute. 'We do not know the cause of this change, but Mars has a very thin carbon dioxide atmosphere today, and there is evidence that the atmosphere was thicker in the past. This puts a premium on understanding where the carbon went, so discovering a major unsuspected deposit of carbon-rich materials is an important new clue,' Kite added. The rover's findings offer insight into the carbon cycle on ancient Mars. On Earth, volcanoes spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and the gas is absorbed by surface waters — mainly the ocean — and combines with elements such as calcium to form limestone rock. Through the geological process called plate tectonics, this rock is reheated and the carbon is ultimately released again into the atmosphere through volcanism. Mars, however, lacks plate tectonics. 'The important feature of the ancient Martian carbon cycle that we outline in this study is that it was imbalanced. In other words, substantially more carbon dioxide seems to have been sequestered into the rocks than was subsequently released back into the atmosphere,' Tutolo said. 'Models of Martian climate evolution can now incorporate our new analyzes, and in turn, help to refine the role of this imbalanced carbon cycle in maintaining, and ultimately losing, habitability over Mars' planetary history,' Tutolo added.
New York Post
22-04-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Yes, there could have been life on Mars — new NASA discovery supports theory
Here's the latest dirt on Mars. NASA's trusty Curiosity rover, which has been exploring the so-called red planet for years, just unearthed something huge — a stash of carbon-rich carbonate minerals indicating that the spinning object of Elon Musk's affection may have once had the goods to host human life. 'It tells us that the planet was habitable and that the models for habitability are correct,' said Ben Tutolo, lead study author and associate professor at the University of Calgary, in a matter-of-fact statement. Advertisement 4 NASA's Curiosity rover has been exploring Mount Sharp inside Gale Crater for years — and it just uncovered a game-changer: a treasure trove of carbon-rich carbonate minerals. AFP/Getty Images Carbonate minerals typically form when carbon dioxide reacts with water and rock — which makes them a cosmic calling card for life-friendly environments. Scientists have spotted them on Mars before, but Curiosity's latest batch offers the clearest proof yet that Mars was once wet, warm — maybe even welcoming. Advertisement And these weren't just any old carbonates — they were packed with a mineral called siderite, an iron-heavy substance that makes up a staggering 5–10% of the samples. What's more, they were found alongside salts that dissolve easily in water — a sign that liquid H2O was likely flowing during formation. 4 Carbonate minerals form when carbon dioxide reacts with water and rock, hinting at life-friendly environments. Curiosity's find offers the clearest proof yet that Mars was once warm and wet. AP 'The broader implications are the planet was habitable up until this time, but then, as the [carbon dioxide] that had been warming the planet started to precipitate as siderite, it likely impacted Mars' ability to stay warm,' Tutolo explained. Advertisement In short: Mars may have gone from cozy greenhouse to ice-cold rock thanks to its own carbon cycle. Adding to the intrigue, Curiosity also sniffed out iron oxyhydroxides — minerals that suggest Mars once had a cycling climate system not unlike Earth's, with carbon dioxide bouncing between rock and atmosphere. In fact, based on the new readings and data from orbit, scientists believe similar layers across Mars could've trapped up to 36 millibars' worth of atmospheric carbon dioxide. 4 Curiosity also uncovered iron oxyhydroxides — minerals hinting that Mars might've had a climate system like Earth's, with carbon dioxide cycling between rock and atmosphere. AP Advertisement That's a massive climate shift in planetary terms. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Tutolo is working on ways to fight climate change using similar rock-forming techniques — by turning CO₂ into carbonates here at home. 'What we're trying to do on Earth to fight climate change is something that nature may have already done on Mars,' he said. 4 New data suggests that similar layers across Mars could have trapped up to 36 millibars of carbon dioxide, potentially reshaping the planet's climate. REUTERS 'Learning about the mechanisms of making these minerals on Mars helps us to better understand how we can do it here,' he continued. Tutolo also shared that studying the collapse of Mars' 'warm and wet early days' also tells us that 'habitability is a very fragile thing.' Curiosity may have just cracked one of Mars' biggest mysteries — and thrown Earth a scientific lifeline in the process.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA's Curiosity rover finds major clue that Mars was once habitable
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. While slowly climbing the slopes of Mount Sharp — a towering peak inside Mars' Gale Crater — NASA's Curiosity rover made a remarkable discovery: large deposits of carbon locked away in carbonate minerals. That may sound a little dry at first, but in reality this find could be a major piece of the puzzle in our search for ancient life on the Red Planet. Carbonate minerals form when carbon dioxide interacts with water and rock, making them an important marker of past environmental conditions. Scientists have spotted these minerals before on Mars — by rovers on the ground, orbiters above, and even in Martian meteorites that fell to Earth — but Curiosity's latest data adds exciting new details. "It tells us that the planet was habitable and that the models for habitability are correct," said the study's lead author, Ben Tutolo, associate professor with the Department of Earth, Energy and Environment in the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary, in a statement. The minerals found by the rover likely formed in extremely dry conditions through chemical reactions between water and rock followed by the process of evaporation. This process points to a time when Mars had a thick enough atmosphere, rich in carbon dioxide, to support liquid water on the surface. However, as the atmosphere thinned, that carbon dioxide would have begun turning into stone. One standout mineral in Curiosity's new discovery is siderite, an iron-rich carbonate found in surprisingly high amounts — between five and 10% by weight — alongside salts that dissolve easily in water. "The broader implications are the planet was habitable up until this time, but then, as the [carbon dioxide] that had been warming the planet started to precipitate as siderite, it likely impacted Mars' ability to stay warm," said Tutolo. What makes this find even more fascinating is the presence of iron oxyhydroxides in the same deposits. These minerals suggest Mars may have once also had a functioning carbon cycle — similar to Earth's — where some of the carbon dioxide locked in rocks eventually made its way back into the atmosphere. Related Stories: — NASA's Perseverance rover hits the Mars rock gold mine: 'It has been all we had hoped for and more' — Curiosity Mars rover discovers largest organic molecules ever seen on Red Planet — Curiosity rover rolls past 'Devil's Gate' on Mars: Space picture of the day By comparing Curiosity's findings with orbital data, scientists believe similar layers across the planet could have trapped up to 36 millibars' worth of atmospheric carbon dioxide — enough to dramatically change Mars' climate. This Martian discovery also ties in closely with work being done right here on Earth. Tutolo says he's been exploring ways to combat climate change by turning human-made carbon dioxide into stable carbonate minerals — essentially locking carbon away in rock. "What we're trying to do on Earth to fight climate change is something that nature may have already done on Mars," he said. "Learning about the mechanisms of making these minerals on Mars helps us to better understand how we can do it here. Studying the collapse of Mars' warm and wet early days also tells us that habitability is a very fragile thing."
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Curiosity rover finds key ingredient for past life on Mars
New samples collected and analyzed by NASA's Curiosity rover are pushing researchers closer than ever to finding out if Mars was once truly capable of supporting life. According to a paper published on April 18 in Nature, ancient geologic samples indicate the Red Planet at one time featured a carbon cycle—an atmospheric condition that's necessary for sustaining liquid water on the Martian surface. Taken together with previous evidence pointing to the existence of dried rivers, lakes, and possibly even oceans, it's looking increasingly likely that Earth's neighbor featured at least some form of life in its distant past. As with all of Curiosity's previous work, these latest discoveries come from inside the 96-mile-wide Gale Crater. Located about 4.5 degrees south of the Martian equator, Gale Crater formed following an asteroid or comet strike roughly 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago. At one time, it likely hosted a large, beach-rimmed lake. Curiosity has traveled over 21 miles from its landing site since 2012, and has obtained multiple drill site samples from layers of Martian sediment beneath it. One of the mission's long term goals has been digging deep enough into the geological layers so that researchers can peer as far back into the planet's history as possible. Recently, Curiosity achieved just that at three sulfate-rich drill sites located on Gale Crater's Mount Sharp. In those drill sites, Curiosity detected deposits containing an iron carbonate material called siderite. According to Ben Tutolo, a University of Calgary associate professor of Earth, Energy, and Environment Studies as well as a NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover team, the data marks a major moment in the search for extraterrestrial life. 'The discovery of large carbon deposits in Gale Crater represents both a surprising and important breakthrough in our understanding of the geologic and atmospheric evolution of Mars,' Tutolo said in a statement. 'The abundance of highly soluble salts in these rocks and similar deposits mapped over much of Mars has been used as evidence of the 'great drying' of Mars during its dramatic shift from a warm and wet early Mars to its current, cold and dry state.' Previously, experts learned the ancient Martian atmosphere was rich in carbon dioxide (CO2), but lacked enough evidence of sedimentary carbonate materials. These materials would suggest that Mars once included enough carbon dioxide in its atmosphere to support not just ice, but liquid water. This past era on the planet now seems far more likely, thanks to Curiosity's latest findings. Over time, however, solar wind and radiation likely siphoned away the Martian atmosphere, gradually thinning it to the point where carbon dioxide began transforming into rock. 'The broader implications are [that] the planet was habitable up until this time, but then, as the CO2 that had been warming the planet started to precipitate as siderite, it likely impacted Mars' ability to stay warm,' Tutolo explained. Moving forward, the team hopes to further study additional sulfate-rich regions of Mars to reinforce their latest findings. Doing so will also help them gain a better understanding of the planet—and any past residents. In the meantime, exploring these Martian mechanisms can help scientists better understand similar processes here on Earth. 'The most remarkable thing about Earth is that it's habitable and it has been for at least four billion years. Something happened to Mars that didn't happen to Earth,' said Tutolo, before offering a word of caution: 'Studying the collapse of Mars' warm and wet early days also tells us that habitability is a very fragile thing.'
Telegraph
17-04-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Life on Mars was possible, scientists say
Mars was once habitable, scientists have said, after discovering evidence that a carbon cycle once operated on the Red Planet. Finding life on Mars is a holy grail for researchers, but it is still not clear whether the planet could have sustained life. Although the Martian landscape shows clear signs that liquid water once flowed on the surface, it would have required a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to keep it warm enough. Previous rock sampling suggested there was not enough carbon on the planet to create such an atmosphere, leaving experts in a quandary about whether Mars really was a wet, warm planet that could allow life to evolve. Now, new sampling by Nasa's Curiosity rover has found large deposits of siderite, a carbon-rich mineral, in the Gale Crater, a dried-up ancient sea. It suggests that the atmosphere contained enough carbon dioxide to support liquid water, and as the atmosphere thinned, the carbon dioxide was absorbed into the rocks. 'It tells us that the planet was habitable and that the models for habitability are correct,' said Dr Ben Tutolo, an associate professor at the University of Calgary, and a scientist on the rover team. 'The broader implications are that the planet was habitable up until this time, but then, as the CO2 that had been warming the planet started to precipitate as siderite, it likely impacted Mars's ability to stay warm. 'The question looking forward is how much of this CO2 from the atmosphere was actually sequestered? Was that potentially a reason we began to lose habitability?' 'Potentially habitable environments' It is thought Mars lost its atmosphere around four billion years ago, about the time that life was starting to get going on Earth. Carbon is the chemical backbone of life on Earth, being the fundamental building block of life and regulating the planet's temperature. But to do this, it needs to be constantly moving around the planet, a process which happens through mechanisms including photosynthesis, respiration, erosion and volcanic activity. Nasa had hoped that sedimentary layers at the Gale Crater would show evidence of carbon being pulled into the rocks because they were formed when Mars was drying out and becoming colder. The findings suggest that large amounts of carbon dioxide have been locked into the planet's crust, and if they are representative of similar regions globally, then it suggests a huge carbon reservoir, indicative of a thick atmosphere. Dr Tutolo says it's clear that small changes in atmospheric CO2 can lead to huge changes in the ability of the planet to harbour life. 'The most remarkable thing about Earth is that it's habitable and it has been for at least four billion years,' he adds. 'Something happened to Mars that didn't happen to Earth.'
