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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Astron. Space Sci.
Sec. Astrobiology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fspas.2024.1452362

Discriminating between extinct and extant life detection: implications for future Mars missions

Provisionally accepted
Katherine A. Dzurilla Katherine A. Dzurilla *Bronwyn L. Teece Bronwyn L. Teece *
  • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), La Cañada Flintridge, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The search for biosignatures on Mars has been a high priority for astrobiology. The approach to detecting putative biosignatures has largely been focused on chemical analysis targeting predominantly extinct life. However, this approach has limited the characterization of extant life, preventing differentiation between extinct and extant biosignatures. Detecting an extant Martian lifeform requires approaches focused on identification of biological features. Identifying potential features of life, such as growth or reproduction, can contribute evidence necessary to identify extant biosignatures. While an unambiguous extant biosignature might not be possible with biologically focused approaches, the combined data can provide supporting evidence to attribute a biosignature to an extinct or extant lifeform in conjunction with flight tested instrumentation. With upcoming initiatives, such as the planned Mars Sample Return campaign and the Mars Life Explorer mission concept, the incorporation of extant life specific analysis is paramount for the future of Mars exploration.

    Keywords: astrobiology1, biosignature2, geobioloigy3, instrumentation4, Mars biosphere5. (Min.5-Max. 8)

    Received: 20 Jun 2024; Accepted: 12 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Dzurilla and Teece. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Katherine A. Dzurilla, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), La Cañada Flintridge, United States
    Bronwyn L. Teece, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), La Cañada Flintridge, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.