Mars Rover's Chiral Clue to Ancient Life | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 9, 2026 · 1m

Scientists are on the verge of cracking the mystery of ancient Martian life, thanks to the Rosalind Franklin rover’s revolutionary instrument, MOMA. Designed to detect chiral molecules—pristane and phytane, which living things produce in one mirror image only—MOMA has proven its precision by successfully separating these forms in meteorite samples. But here’s the twist: the meteorite’s molecules were evenly split, hinting at Earthly contamination from fossil fuels, not alien biology. This discovery is a game-changer, helping scientists avoid false positives and sharpening the rover’s ability…