Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 7399
• Main Authors: Blamey, Nigel J. F., Parnell, John, McMahon, Sean, Mark, Darren F., Tomkinson, Tim, Lee, Martin, Shivak, Jared, Izawa, Matthew R. M., Banerjee, Neil R., Flemming, Roberta L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.06.2015; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Pub. Group
• Subjects: 704/172/169/894; 704/445/3929; Atmosphere; Atmospheric models; Bearing; Biological activity; Carbon; Compressive strength; Curiosity (Mars rover); Extraterrestrial life; Gases - analysis; Humanities and Social Sciences; Igneous rocks; Mars; Mars atmosphere; Mars rovers; Meteoroids; Meteors & meteorites; Methane; Methane - analysis; Microbial activity; Microorganisms; multidisciplinary; Olivine; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); SNC meteorites
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8399

The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity. Extremophiles on Earth are known to respire methane, and the potential existence of methane on Mars indicates similar organisms could survive there. Here, the authors present data from Martian meteorites confirming the presence of methane, indicating that a habitat capable of supporting organisms exists on Mars.