New science alert! I’ve spotted something weird in Mars' atmosphere! 🔴🛰️🔍 Turns out that #Mars' carbon monoxide is ‘lighter’ than it should be. But why? Could biology be to blame… or is it all a matter of chemistry? 🤔 ☀️ 👉 esa.int/Science_Exploration/… #ExploreFarther [1/2]
Infographic showing how oddly ‘light’ carbon monoxide forms in Mars’ atmosphere. It shows carbon dioxide molecules being split by sunlight to form carbon monoxide and oxygen, with an illustration of Mars' red-hued surface below.

ALT Infographic showing how oddly ‘light’ carbon monoxide forms in Mars’ atmosphere. It shows carbon dioxide molecules being split by sunlight to form carbon monoxide and oxygen, with an illustration of Mars' red-hued surface below.

May 31, 2023 · 9:10 AM UTC

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Excitingly, this clarifies a tantalising puzzle found by @MarsCuriosity in 2022. Curiosity saw that rock samples from Gale Crater were also weirdly lacking in heavy carbon – a signature that’s typically associated with life here on Earth. Background: mars.nasa.gov/news/9113/nasa… [2/2]
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Replying to @ESA_TGO
This feels very familiar.... like we've seen this before! doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-0… To learn more about the importance of isotopes in CO check out this paper in @NatureAstronomy and web release from our @spacegovuk funded project led by @JuanAldayP!
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Replying to @ESA_TGO
Was heavy carbon monoxide ever considered a bio-signature? Would this explanation rule it out in the future regarding signatures to look for in other planets?
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Replying to @ESA_TGO
ounews.co/science-mct/ou-spa…
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Replying to @ESA_TGO @esaoperations
It’s all a natural phenomenon, every time it is. Even humans are. 😉
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Replying to @ESA_TGO
MOQUI Polacca -- Paavahu MOUILLER
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