Curiosity, il robot laboratorio della NASA, ha rilevato tracce di gas metano nel cratere Gale su Marte, dove sta lavorando dall’agosto 2012. La scoperta potrebbe permettere agli scienziati di ipotizzare una vita a livello microbico passata o presente, sul pianeta rosso.
Nel corso di quattro misurazioni in due mesi, i livelli medi dell’idrocarburo semplice sono aumentati di 10 volte prima di dissiparsi rapidamente, ma la causa della fluttuazione è ancora sconosciuta.
“E’ presto per saltare a conclusioni”, ha affermato uno degli studiosi impegnati nel progetto, “tutto ciò che realmente possiamo fare è essere aperti alle possibilità”.
ANSA/AlesS
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