Finding a boron on Mars gives more information about whether life could exist on the planet. The fact is that this element is able to play an important role in the formation of RNA - one of the vital blocks on Mars. That is, we received evidence that previously there were conditions for life. The presence of boron always indicates possible organics.
RNA is a nucleic acid that can be found in all life forms. But in the scientific community there is an idea about the RNA world, where the first proto-life was created from separate RNA lines containing genetic data that can copy themselves.
Selfies from the Curiosity rover in Gail Crater
A key component of RNA is sugar, called ribose. But these substances are unstable and rapidly decompose in water. This is where boron appears. When it enters the water, it becomes a borate and reacts with the ribose, stabilizing it to create RNA. Scientists have found a Martian crater with an age of 3.8 billion years, where ancient life could be. Boron was found in the mineral veins of calcium sulfate, which means that it was located in groundwater. He was able to find using the tool ChemCam, installed on the rover.
Curiosity is now climbing a layered Martian mountain and gathering evidence of the transformation of ancient lakes and the subterranean environment. It is important for scientists to restore the picture of the past and to understand exactly where and how microbes existed.
The higher the apparatus, the more clay and boron. These substances reveal a picture of the most favorable conditions and initial precipitation. While researchers do not have accurate evidence of the presence of life. But they expect the arrival of Mars 2020 with improved tools, including SHERLOC.
