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Planetary science: A whiff of mystery on Mars

Nature volume 463, pages 420–421 (2010)Cite this article

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The surprising discovery of methane in Mars's atmosphere could be a sign of life there. Researchers are now working out how to find its source, reports Katharine Sanderson.

For the past decade, NASA's mantra for exploring Mars has been to 'follow the water'. The agency based its aqueous obsession on the idea that finding evidence of past or present water would yield clues to whether life once graced the planet — or still exists there. Now, some scientists are chanting a new slogan: 'follow the methane'.

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  1. Katharine Sanderson
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Katharine Sanderson is a reporter for Nature in London.

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ESA Workshop on methane on Mars

Mars Express

Mars Science Laboratory

ExoMars

Mars Airplane

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Sanderson, K. Planetary science: A whiff of mystery on Mars. Nature 463, 420–421 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/463420a

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