Formaldehyde in ancient Martian rain may have supported pre-biotic chemistry

Atmospheric formaldehyde in ancient Martian rains could have triggered crucial chemical reactions required for life to begin on the planet billions of years ago, EarthSky reported. Scientists announced the findings on October 1, 2026. The research team included scientists from Tohoku University, the Earth-Life Science Institute, and the Institute of Science Tokyo in Japan. [1]

According to EarthSky, formaldehyde dissolved in water can promote chemical reactions that form sugars, amino acids, and other complex organic molecules required to start life. The researchers investigated where this formaldehyde would have been present on the planet during its early history. [1]

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, featuring a tenuous carbon dioxide atmosphere and a desert-like rocky surface. The surface gravity on Mars is roughly one third of Earth gravity. Mars experiences surface temperature ranges from minus 153 to 20 degrees Celsius. [3]

The planet rotates on its axis every 24.6 hours and completes one orbit around the Sun in 687 Earth days. Mars lacks a global magnetic field, leaving its surface exposed to high cosmic and solar radiation. [3][4]