• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

AdvanceTec

Hot Tech News and Reviews

  • Home
  • Tech Today
  • Big Tech
  • Facts
  • Science Now
  • Technology Tips
  • Tech Reviews
  • Health
  • Contact Us

Device Could Help Detect Signs Of Extraterrestrial Life

September 18, 2020 By AdvanceTec Writer

Device Could Help Detect Signs of Extraterrestrial Life
CAPTION
A fully automated microchip electrophoresis analyzer could someday be deployed in the search for life on other worlds.
CREDIT
Adapted from Analytical Chemistry 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01628

Although Earth is uniquely situated in the solar system to support creatures that call it home, different forms of life could have once existed, or might still exist, on other planets. But finding traces of past or current lifeforms on other worlds is challenging. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Analytical Chemistry have developed a fully automated microchip electrophoresis analyzer that, when incorporated into a planetary rover, could someday detect organic biosignatures in extraterrestrial soil.

One critical piece of evidence for life beyond Earth is the presence of certain organic molecules. Previous missions to Mars have relied on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to separate and detect compounds. However, the technique has limitations for the analysis of some molecules, such as organic acids, especially when water, minerals or salts are also in the sample. Microchip electrophoresis (ME)-based separations, followed by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection, would be ideal, but current instruments are only partially automated, which wouldn’t work for interplanetary missions. Peter Willis and colleagues wanted to develop a portable, battery-powered ME-LIF instrument that could accept a sample and perform labeling, separation and detection of organic molecules, all in a fully automated fashion.

The researchers made a device that included two microchips — one for processing and labeling a liquid sample, and the other (the ME chip) for separating compounds — and an LIF detection system. After optimizing the device, the researchers put it to the test in a simulated Mars mission in a Chilean desert. The team coupled the analyzer to a portable subcritical water extractor on a remotely deployed rover system. The rover drilled into the soil to collect samples, which were delivered to the extractor. Then, water was added to the soil samples, and they were heated to extract compounds for analysis. The device detected parts per billion levels of amino acids in soil from three of four drilling locations. Importantly, the sensitivity was three orders of magnitude higher than that reported for GC-MS-based methods. Although more work is needed to ready the instrument for spaceflight and extraterrestrial conditions, this research lays the foundation for developing ME-LIF instruments for missions seeking signs of life beyond Earth, the researchers say.

Filed Under: FEATURED, Science Now Tagged With: Extraterrestrial Life, NASA

More AdvanceTec Posts

3 Tips To Overcome Lethargy

3 Tips To Overcome Lethargy

In daily life, there are times when you feel that you lose your motivation to do everything and that you feel tired all the time. Even after getting … Read Full Article about 3 Tips To Overcome Lethargy

Elon Musk Finally Has Posted On Twitter In Ten Days

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter that he had met with Pope Francis. According to AFP news agency on the 2nd (local time), Musk posted a picture … Read Full Article about Elon Musk Finally Has Posted On Twitter In Ten Days

3 benefits of arrowroot tea benefits and its side effects

Arrowroot belongs to the Rosaceae legume family and grows well in moderate moisture and deep underground. It is known to have various beneficial … Read Full Article about 3 benefits of arrowroot tea benefits and its side effects

3 Benefits Of Jumping Rope Exercise

3 Benefits Of Jumping Rope Exercise

Aerobic exercise, which is divided into various types such as walking, running, and cycling, has the effect of improving flexibility, muscle strength, … Read Full Article about 3 Benefits Of Jumping Rope Exercise

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

Netflix plunged 71%, Facebook 52%… New York stock market, worst ‘first half’ in 52 years

On the 30th (local time) on the New York Stock Exchange, Tesla stock fell 1.76% to $673. Large tech stocks also fell … Continue Reading about Netflix plunged 71%, Facebook 52%… New York stock market, worst ‘first half’ in 52 years

  • (Video) 10 Crazy NEW Technologies That Will Flip the WORLD
  • Bill Gates says there’s 50% chance of another pandemic in 20 years
  • Elon Musk reaches 100 million Twitter followers chasing after soccer star Ronaldo

AdvanceTec Social

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Copyright © 2022 · Advancetec · About Us · Log in