Rocks could unlock secrets of Mars

Geologists and microbiologists from the University of Aberdeen are looking at how rocks from across the British Isles could help explain the presence of methane on Mars and how it could signify life on the red planet.

Professor John Parnell, lead scientist, said: “The discovery of methane on Mars (in 2004) was the biggest indication to date that life – in the primitive form of bacteria – could potentially exist on the planet. One of the reasons for this we believe is because methane should only last for a short time in the atmosphere on Mars until it is destroyed - but its continued presence shows that something is replenishing it. This indicates that the methane is possibly being produced by a biological process – i.e. a simple form of life. If this life does exist, the hostile surface environment of Mars means it is most likely to live at subsurface levels, in rocks on the planet.”

Research will focus on rocks that retain the most methane absorbed from sources on the Earth, which will also indicate the optimum rock for scientists to analyse on Mars in the future.The team of scientists will also analyse the rocks to enhance understanding of how potential life could exist at subsurface levels on Mars.

Dr Gail Ferguson, Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology at the University of Aberdeen said: “If life does exist on Mars it is most likely to be found deep below the planet’s surface under high-pressure conditions. We will analyse methane-generating microorganisms on Earth that live under similar conditions - deep in the sediment in our oceans in a high-pressure environment. If we can understand how they produce methane in these circumstances, we could potentially apply the same logic to understanding similar microorganisms – if they do exist - on Mars.”

The three-year research project is funded by a grant from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).