UF astrobiologist partakes in her second NASA mission to Mars

By Halle Burton

NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover mission is no easy task, yet its distinguished team has discovered signs of organic molecules, containing chemicals known for making life possible on Earth.

One of these long-term planners is University of Florida astrobiologist, Amy Williams.

“Organics make up life as we know it,” Williams said. “Seeing organic carbon on Mars sets us up to understand if the building blocks for life were present on the planet in the past through the lens of how life evolved on Earth.”

Williams and the Perseverance team were published in November’s Science magazine for their organic molecules analysis, after finding numerous organic carbons on the Jerezo crater floor.

Through NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Perseverance is studying the crater with collected rock samples planned to be sent to Earth during the Mars Sample Return mission.

Upon further research and testing on Earth, these rocks could determine compelling evidence of past life on Mars.

Several of the rock samples indicate altercations by water, making scientists propose that a water-infused Mars could have supported ancient life.

The Jerezo crater itself serves as an intriguing site to study past life on the terrestrial planet. The creation of the crater implies Mars contained a primitive river streaming into a lake billions of years ago.

Now, Williams is no stranger to working with the detection of organic molecules on Mars. In 2015, she worked with the Curiosity rover which also found organic carbon on the inner planet.

With her work diversified on the Perseverance team, evidence is closer than ever to proving the omnipresence of organic carbon on Mars.

“Seeing a consistent story is always reassuring as a scientist,” Williams said.