Scientists Opened Up A Martian Meteorite And Found Ink From A Violet Gel Pen Inside

Key Points:

• NASA's Perseverance rover continues to collect Martian rock samples, storing them in tubes onboard, with some placed in backup depots on Mars and others left unfilled for contamination control purposes.
• A study from the University of the Basque Country found contamination in Martian meteorite samples on Earth, including pen inks, ethyl alcohol, and diamonds, highlighting challenges in accurately analyzing these rocks.
• Martian meteorites reaching Earth undergo atmospheric entry that alters their outer layers, complicating mineralogical analysis and necessitating cutting and polishing, which introduces potential contaminants from tools and solvents.
• The research identified blue pen inks, including hostaperm violet gel ink, as contaminants likely introduced during sample handling, emphasizing the need for improved contamination control protocols.
• The team recommends modifications such as replacing ethanol with isopropyl alcohol for washing samples and using non-polar solvents for certain minerals to enhance sample integrity without banning gel pens.