A group of American and European scientists, based on the data received from the rovers "Curiosity" (Curiosity), found boron on the Red Planet. Derivatives of this element, borates, are necessary for the synthesis of ribonucleic acid - one of the three basic macromolecules that are contained in the cells of all living organisms. This suggests that the conditions of ancient Mars could be suitable for the formation of living systems, reports Geophysical Research Letters.

The substance was found by studying the impact crater Gale. His study was the original goal of the work of "Kyuriosity". The basis of the study was the data of the ChemCam tool, which includes a laser-spark emission spectrometer and a Remote Micro Imager.

As it turned out, the boron derivatives on Mars are in the veins of calcium sulphate located at the surface of the planet. Scientists believe that borates could be present in the Martian underground waters that left these veins. Probably, the boron derivatives were part of the evaporites - mineralized sediments, which usually remain after evaporation of brackish lakes. These sediments gradually dissolved, and borates could get into the waters flowing under the surface of Mars. Researchers believe that these waters were slightly alkaline, and their temperature could be from 0 to 60 degrees Celsius.

Borates stabilize the monosaccharide ribose - one of the main elements of which RNA is composed. Like DNA, RNA is able to store genetic information. Since RNA can perform several different functions, the hypothesis of "RNA World".

According to her, at one of the first stages of the appearance of life, RNA simultaneously transmitted hereditary information, and influenced the course of chemical reactions. A new discovery shows that on ancient Mars there could be conditions suitable for the emergence of RNA life.

Scientists already knew that borates are present in Martian rocks. In 2013, boron compounds were found in the Martian meteorite found in Antarctica. But a new study for the first time allowed us to confirm that there are boron derivatives in modern rocks of the Red Planet. This is written by the online edition of Naked Science.