{"id":101027,"date":"2026-04-22T16:36:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T20:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/?post_type=cu_story&p=101027"},"modified":"2026-04-22T16:36:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T20:36:25","slug":"curiosity-rover-mars-life","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/curiosity-rover-mars-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Did NASA’s Curiosity Rover Find Signs of Ancient Life on Mars? An Astrobiologist Explains How We Determine ‘Life’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Did NASA’s Curiosity Rover Find Signs of Ancient Life on Mars? An Astrobiologist Explains How We Determine ‘Life’\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

NASA’s Curiosity rover has identified seven new organic compounds on the planet Mars<\/a>, according to new research published in Nature Communications<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The researchers believe this organic matter may have been preserved on Mars for more than 3.4 billion years<\/a>. But is it evidence of life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s not yet possible to determine whether it was delivered by a meteor (or comet or interplanetary dust particles), was formed through geological processes or may be linked to potential ancient life on Mars<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This begs a few questions: What exactly is life? How do we know what to look for? Why is it so hard to determine if an organic compound came from life or not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an astrobiologist, my job is to study life in the universe<\/a>. I have participated in several NASA and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) projects focused on learning how to detect signs of life, as well as training astronauts to be field scientists<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has taken me to field sites in the Antarctic<\/a>, hot springs in Western Canada<\/a>, volcanoes in Hawaii<\/a> and underwater in British Columbia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study of extreme environments on Earth, along with exploration of the lifeless surface of the moon<\/a>, can help us understand what life can look like. It can also help us understand the other potential non-biological processes that can form organic compounds like ones that have been found on Mars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Astronaut<\/a>
Astronaut Chris Hadfield dives into Pavilion Lake, B.C., as part of an international, multidisciplinary project to explore the origin of rare freshwater carbonate rock formations (microbialites). Similar processes possibly occurred on other planets. (CSA\/Donnie Reid)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Life in extreme environments on Earth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On Earth, scientists study life in extreme environments that we might also expect to find on early Earth or other planets such as Mars. We call these \u201canalogue\u201d environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, micro-organisms can thrive in the hot springs<\/a> of Yellowstone National Park, deep underground<\/a> or in cold icy places like Antarctica<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two
The author (left) collects water samples from Lake Untersee for a biosignature study. This is one of Antarctica’s largest and deepest surface lakes, known for its distinctive water chemistry. (Klemens Weisleitner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As astrobiologists, we can use these analogue environments to test equipment and concepts of operation<\/a> that may be used to plan life-detection missions on other planets. They also help us better understand how life can survive in extreme environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Importantly, these environments help us recognize what kinds of evidence life can leave behind. Identifying biosignatures, or unambiguous signs of life, that can be targeted when looking for life elsewhere is critically important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Earth, it’s not hard to find evidence of life. Simply look around you. We are also constantly discovering the existence of life in places where it may have once seemed impossible, such as these microbes buried deep in ocean mud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, finding locations where there is no life is often more challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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