Mars still promises to be one of the first places in the solar system that will colonize humanity. However, if there were evolutionarily different, existing life on the planet, the heart could influence even the most passionate Mars colonization fans. Therefore, astrobiologists in a race against the time to determine whether such a life exists or not before the entire planet becomes an analogue of the earth's biosphere, if only unintentionally, and only a shadow of those who exist here. A new paper from Team Christopher Temby and Jan Spacek from Team Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) discusses one of the most promising opportunities to definitely prove that life is present on the Red Planet – in other words, DNA.
DNA is not the only type of polyelectrolyt polymer in our own biosphere – RNA is another example. However, the reason why the finding of a polyel electrolyte is so important is the ability to convey information between generations. Mars could have a completely separate option to spend genetic information from everything we know on Earth, but it would probably at least look like a polyelectrolyte polymer.
In a pioneering paper in 2018, the NASA employees laid the polyel electrolyte, known as the “head of life detection” today, as possible bisignature. However, there are also some weaknesses that issue the molecules that have to be overcome by any instrument planning to find them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcwi8ub_1og
Alf presentation of his device at a Niac conference. Credit – Alfa Mars YouTube Canal
The first problem is that the polyel electrolytes could be diluted so that they would not reach the detection threshold of the instrument that can be found for them, especially if the total amount of biomass is tiny compared to the land found on earth. This problem is easy to solve by concentrating the polyel electrodes using electrodialysis and a number of porous membranes.
In this system, the sample is first combined with water, and then this water is exposed to an electric field. Since polyel electrolytes are charged particles, they move in an electrical field, as well as natural salts such as potassium and magnesium (what the typical dialysis for patients do on earth). However, polyel electrolytes are physically much larger than the salties, so that the ALF system has a number of filters on a nano-port basis that would enable the salts to continue to move while the polyel electrolytes are kept in a certain chamber. If a sample is exposed to the electrical field long enough, migrate all polyel electrolytes on one side of the nanofilter to a certain area and enable a much high concentration that should be able to pass the detection threshold of the instrument if there is actually enough of the molecules in the sample.
According to the ALF researchers, the second problem that the identification paper of the head of life has mentioned is actually a strength. Polyel electrodes do not survive long if they are exposed to water – in the language of the paper “the survival capacity in liquid water is limited by hydrolysis”. Instead of seeing that the ALF team as a problem that has to be overcome, it is of the opinion that this only means that if polyel electrodes are clearly recognized that it has to create some lives, since older samples from life had been destroyed long ago if the trial came.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4PDK38NJGI
Fraser tells the history of the search for life on Mars.
While mankind continues to move towards Mars colonization, the window closes to find and analyze unique Marlebenmärsmärians. We have previously discussed how exactly the ALF would be implemented, and this sub -section of the instrument seems to be promising if you find this a certain sign of life for life. As with the entire instrument, however, it is unclear whether the budget cuts of NASA, which have financed the original development of the ALF through a NIAC grant, enable or not to support the system. If this is the case, data about Mars -DNA or your equivalent can one day be with the fingertips of the scientists – hopefully before they are contaminated by the earth.
Learn more:
C. Temby & J. Spacek astrobiology missions of the 21st century
M. NEveu et al. – the detection of the leadership of the service life
Ut – Mars Life Explorer should contain an agnostic finder
Ut – looking for life on Mars in the snow and ice
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