Biosignatures

Question 1

What are biosignatures?

Answer 1

Any characteristic element, molecule, substance or feature that can be used as evidence of past or present life and is distinct from abiogenic process

Question 2

What is an organic compound?

Answer 2

Any molecule that has carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds

Question 3

How do organic compounds aid the search for life?

Answer 3

They are either directly produced by microbes or by the products of these molecules

Question 4

Types of biosignatures

Answer 4

• macro structures/textures
• organics
• minerals
• chemistry
• isotopes

Question 5

When was the viking mission launched?

Answer 5

1976

Question 6

What were the three experiments that the viking lander carried out?

Answer 6

• labelled release
• gas exchange
• pyrolytic release

Question 7

Describe the labelled release

Answer 7

added nutrients to Martain soil, used carbon 14, bio material would use this to metabolise and produce waste gas - POSITIVE RESULT

Question 8

Describe the gas exchange

Answer 8

added nutrients but not carbon 14 - NEGATIVE

Question 9

Describe the pyrolytic release

Answer 9

Same as the labelled release but the soil was baked - NEGATIVE

Question 10

What happened after the 3 viking experiments ?

Answer 10

GC-MS was used to look for organics - NEGATIVE

Question 11

Why did the viking results happen ?

Answer 11

Phoenix mission discovered presence of perchlorate which is a salt that when heated breaks down organics and releases co2