NASA’s Curiosity rover has detected a spike in levels of methane, a gas that on Earth is usually produced by living things, or approximately 21 parts per billion, three three times the amount it previously spotted during 2013. “We don’t yet know where methane on Mars comes from. A leading idea is that methane on Mars is being released from underground reservoirs created by past biology. But sometimes, methane is a sign of geology rather than biology,” said NASA’s Thomas Zurbuchen. Read more for another video and additional information.
“If scientists can confirm the presence of methane, the greater challenge is finding ways to study it in more detail. The Mars 2020 rover and other upcoming vehicles are meant to look for the ingredients of life, but not to verify the possibility of existing life. It could be a long time before there’s a definitive pronouncement on what the gas represents,” reports Engadget.
