The search for life on Mars is heating up as astrobiologists try to determine whether or not there’s existing life on the Red Planet. A new paper from researchers Christopher Temby and Jan Spacek of the Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) team discusses finding polyelectrolyte polymers, essentially DNA, as a way to prove definitively that life exists on Mars.
Polyelectrolytes are molecules that can convey information between generations, and scientists believe they might be used by any life form on Mars in a way that’s similar to how we use DNA on Earth. However, finding these molecules is not easy due to two main challenges.
Firstly, polyelectrolytes can be very dilute, making it hard for current instruments to detect them. To overcome this, the ALF team uses electrodialysis and porous membranes to concentrate the polymers, allowing them to reach detection threshold.
Secondly, polyelectrolytes are fragile and don’t survive long in water, but this is actually a strength according to the researchers. If they’re detected unequivocally, it means there must be some extant life creating them.
The ALF team’s device has been presented at several conferences, including a NIAC conference, and if it gets continued support from NASA, scientists may one day have access to Martian DNA or its equivalent. However, the future of the instrument remains uncertain due to budget cuts.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/articles/a-simple-instrument-could-find-martian-dna-if-it-exists