NASA informed about a new discovery made by the Curiosity rover crossing the surface of the Red Planet for several years. It turns out that Mars, or more precisely its atmosphere, has a variable amount of methane. The compound increases in summer and its content decreases in winter. Scientists claim that this may be due to the existence of life.
Experts from NASA and selected universities in the United States have analyzed the five years of methane measurement that the Curiosity rover took in the Gale crater. It turns out that the amount of this organic compound changes throughout the year. Could it be that Mars really have some form of life?
The amount of methane in the atmosphere of Mars is small, but in winter it is less and in summer it appears more. Changes in content must, therefore, be caused by something. The cycle is repeated seasonally and specialists say that methane may come from some underground reservoir. But is there life in it? This has not yet been confirmed, but it may be so.
NASA is planning further missions to Mars in the coming years to get to know the Red Planet better. The US Space Agency will fire a new rover and a small helicopter with it. Last month, an InSight lander was launched to reach Mars in November this year.
We must admit that Mars is beginning to hire fewer and fewer secrets from us. We at home can admire the beauty of the cosmos from the Earth.