Has Curiosity found proof of life on Mars?

Srinivas Laxman, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.54AM IST

MUMBAI: Has Nasa's 900-kg Mars rover, Curiosity attained a major scientific breakthrough?

Just on the eve of the first anniversary of the launch of the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity mission which is on November 26, 2012, is the buzz that it could have possibly found evidence that conditions existed in the Red Planet which could have supported microbial life.

Right now it seems pure speculation, but the theory is gathering weight following a recent remark made by none other than the mission's principal investigator, John Grotzinger, to the US National Public Radio saying, "We're getting data from the Sample Analysis At Mars (SAM) instrument and is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good,'' he said. SAM is a miniature chemistry laboratory having the capability to analyse the contents of Martian soil and rocks.

Grotzinger declined to spell out the specifics saying that there would be no official announcement for several weeks since the data has to be rechecked and revalidated so that there was no slip this time. Indications are that there could be an announcement sometime between December 3 and 7, 2012 during a scientific meeting at San Fransisco.

He further added that the announcement regarding the discovery is also being delayed because scientists want to ensure that SAM was not measuring air brought along from Cape Canaveral in Florida during the MSL launch on November 26, 2011.

There is also a rule which stipulates that scientists cannot discuss their research until it is a officially published. This time, moreover , the scientific community is exercising considerable caution keeping in view the fiasco and controversy caused by the sensational announcement in August 1996 about finding organic compound in a Martian meteorite , ALH 84001, indicating that there could have been life on Mars. It was for this reason that Nasa is downplaying all talk of a major discovery by Curiosity.

After launch on November 26,2011, Curiosity touchdown on the Red Planet's Gale Crater after a nail biting manoeuvre at 11 a m (IST) on August 6,2012.