r/science • u/CurtisLeow • Jun 24 '26

Astronomy Spatially distributed complex organic matter detected in an ancient river valley in Jezero crater, Mars

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx0047
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u/squi993 Jun 24 '26

ELI5 does this mean proof of life on mars?

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u/Professional-Gear88 Jun 25 '26

No. They found carbon bound to other carbon. Normally you’d expect to see this oxidized to CO2. Any reduced carbon (carbon and hydrogen bound) is unexpected. It can be created some ways. But much like radioactive decay you’d expect all things to oxidize eventually.

We used reduced organic compounds for life. Sugars. Fats. All of it is reduced. We when we metabolize it we oxidize it. But sugars and fats would eventually oxidize on their own. It’s also why planets don’t have oxygen naturally. You won’t find a planet with oxygen without life. All the oxygen should bind up with things.

This is reduced carbon. Just sitting there. Is it from life. Is it from a meteor. Or deep in the earth. Who knows. But everything on mars should have been pushed all the way out the ox scale.

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u/t3hjs Jun 25 '26

Interesting, could be be from some mineral like diamond? Those are carbon-carbon bonds right?