Methane gas on Mars may be destroyed 600 times faster than it is on Earth – and possibly in as little as one hour, new calculations suggest. If so, whatever process is responsible for the destruction may be wiping out other organic molecules, which are necessary for life as we know it.
In 2003, researchers detected methane on Mars. Since sunlight destroys methane on Earth in about 330 years, the discovery suggested that the gas was being replenished by geological processes or possibly even methane-producing bacteria.
The mystery deepened when researchers reported that the methane is not spread evenly through the atmosphere, but is concentrated in certain areas. That is a puzzle because atmospheric currents are expected to spread the gas evenly around the planet in a matter of weeks or months.
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