DOI: 10.1073/pnas.051514698. Chains of magnetite crystals in the meteorite ALH84001: Evidence of biological origin

Chains of magnetite crystals in the meteorite ALH84001: Evidence of biological origin

10.1073/pnas.051514698

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

Abstract

The presence of magnetite crystal chains, considered missing evidence for the biological origin of magnetite in ALH84001 [Thomas-Keprta, K. L., Bazylinski, D. A., Kirschvink, J. L., Clemett, S. J., McKay, D. S., Wentworth, S. J., Vali, H., Gibson, E. K., Jr., & Romanek, C. S. (2000) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 64, 4049–4081], is demonstrated by high-power stereo backscattered scanning electron microscopy. Five characteristics of such chains (uniform crystal size and shape within chains, gaps between crystals, orientation of elongated crystals along the chain axis, flexibility of chains, and a halo that is a possible remnant of a membrane around chains), observed or inferred to be present in magnetotactic bacteria but incompatible with a nonbiological origin, are shown to be present. Although it is unlikely that magnetotactic bacteria were ever alive in ALH84001, decomposed remains of such organisms could have been deposited in cracks in the rock while it was still on the surface on Mars.

Bibliography

Friedmann, E. I., Wierzchos, J., Ascaso, C., & Winklhofer, M. (2001). Chains of magnetite crystals in the meteorite ALH84001: Evidence of biological origin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(5), 2176â2181.

Authors 4

E. Imre Friedmann (first)
Jacek Wierzchos (additional)
Carmen Ascaso (additional)
Michael Winklhofer (additional)

References 24 Referenced 98

10.1126/science.273.5277.924
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E I Friedmann, J Wierzchos, C Ascaso Workshop on the Issue of Martian Meteorites (Lunar Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, , Contribution 956, pp. 14–16. (1998). / Workshop on the Issue of Martian Meteorites by Friedmann E I (1998)
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10.1038/39827

Dates

Type	When
Created	23 years ago (July 26, 2002, 6:36 a.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 12, 2022, 11:03 a.m.)
Indexed	3 weeks, 5 days ago (July 30, 2025, 11:33 a.m.)
Issued	24 years, 5 months ago (Feb. 27, 2001)
Published	24 years, 5 months ago (Feb. 27, 2001)
Published Online	24 years, 5 months ago (Feb. 27, 2001)
Published Print	24 years, 5 months ago (Feb. 27, 2001)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Friedmann_2001, title={Chains of magnetite crystals in the meteorite ALH84001: Evidence of biological origin}, volume={98}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.051514698}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.051514698}, number={5}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Friedmann, E. Imre and Wierzchos, Jacek and Ascaso, Carmen and Winklhofer, Michael}, year={2001}, month=feb, pages={2176–2181} }

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  "abstract": "<jats:p>\n            The presence of magnetite crystal chains, considered missing\n evidence for the biological origin of magnetite in ALH84001\n [Thomas-Keprta, K. L., Bazylinski, D. A., Kirschvink,\n J. L., Clemett, S. J., McKay, D. S., Wentworth, S.\n J., Vali, H., Gibson, E. K., Jr., &amp; Romanek, C. S. (2000)\n            <jats:italic>Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta</jats:italic>\n            64, 4049\u20134081], is\n demonstrated by high-power stereo backscattered scanning electron\n microscopy. Five characteristics of such chains (uniform crystal size\n and shape within chains, gaps between crystals, orientation of\n elongated crystals along the chain axis, flexibility of chains, and a\n halo that is a possible remnant of a membrane around chains), observed\n or inferred to be present in magnetotactic bacteria but incompatible\n with a nonbiological origin, are shown to be present. Although it is\n unlikely that magnetotactic bacteria were ever alive in ALH84001,\n decomposed remains of such organisms could have been deposited in\n cracks in the rock while it was still on the surface on Mars.\n          </jats:p>",
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