* Astronomy

Martian Meteorite Shows Presence of Boron

Researchers have now discovered high levels of boron in a Martian meteorite. The oxidised form of boron, called borate, plays a key role in the formation of RNA, according to their study.
The study was conducted by researchers from The University of Hawaii at Manoa NASA Astrobiology Institute (UHNAI), who analysed the composition of clay found in Antarctica during the 2009-2010 field season. They found that the level of boron in this meteorite is about 10 times higher than in any other meteorite.
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We have detected a concentration of boron in martian clay far in excess of that in any previously reported extra-terrestrial object. This enrichment indicates that the chemistry necessary for the formation of ribose, a key component of RNA, could have existed on Mars since the formation of early clay deposits, contemporary to the emergence of life on Earth. Given the greater similarity of Earth and Mars early in their geological history, and the extensive disruption of Earth's earliest mineralogy by plate tectonics, we suggest that the conditions for prebiotic ribose synthesis may be better understood by further Mars exploration.
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