In a recently published study Science AdvancesAn international team of scientists led by the Technical University of Munich investigated the Tissint Mars meteorite, which crashed near the Moroccan village of Tissint on July 18, 2011, and fragments of the meteorite were found about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Earth. Bay. What intrigues Tissint is the presence of “enormous organic diversity,” which, as the study notes, could help scientists better understand whether there is life on Mars and even Earth’s geological history.

D., director of the Analytical Biochemistry Research Unit at the Technical University of Munich and lead author of the study. “Mars and Earth share many aspects of their evolution,” Philipp Schmitt-Koplin said in a statement. “And although life began and evolved on our home planet, the question of whether it could exist on Mars is a very pressing research topic that requires a deeper knowledge of our neighboring planet’s water, organic molecules, and reactive surfaces.”

Organic molecules are molecules that consist of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms but can also contain oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements. The four main classes of organic molecules include carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.

As seen on Earth, organic molecules resemble life, but the study notes that abiotic organic chemistry, non-biological processes have been observed in “other Martian meteorites.”

A research fellow at Carnegie Science, Dr. “Understanding the processes and sequence of events that make up this rich organic bounty will reveal new details about the habitability of Mars and perhaps the responses that could lead to the formation of life,” said Andrew Steele. He is a member of the Mars sample return campaign science team for NASA’s Perseverance rover and a co-author of the study, the statement said.

For the study, the scientists examined Tissint’s entire organic composition and found “a diverse chemical composition and a large number of complex molecules,” according to the study, and also helped unravel past geological processes in the red crust and mantle.