Toronto (OTL) – NASA has announced that the Phoenix Mars lander picked up soil on Mars, which contained a toxic chemical.
The toxic chemical is known as perchlorate, and is used as rocket fuel at times. It was found by the Phoenix when it was picking up soil samples to test.
Researchers are trying to figure out how the chemical was there, and if the Phoenix carried it there from Earth.
This comes less than a week after the Phoenix Mars lander took its first ice sample on Mars, making history.
They expect to continue to take more soil samples to test for the chemical and try to confirm its existence.
This could lead to life not being possible on the red planet if the chemical proves harmful enough.