The atmosphere of Mars contains traces of methane. The discovery of Mars explorer Curiosity excites the imagination of scientists, because it is the question of who or what that gas produces over.


 

The methane, aka natural gas on Earth comes from animal and vegetable life. The presence of methane on Mars therefore raises the question whether there might have microbes on the Red Planet lived in the past or even there still occur. The gas could, however, also may arise from the interior of Mars, may be derived from a comet or may have an even very different origin.


 

Researchers note Tuesday in the scientific journal Science that Curiosity has detected a variation in the amount of methane in the Martian atmosphere. The US space agency NASA concludes from this that the source of the gas is likely to be located in or on the planet.