DOI: 10.1073/pnas.241387898. Magnetite morphology and life on Mars

10.1073/pnas.241387898

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

Abstract

Nanocrystals of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) in a meteorite from Mars provide the strongest, albeit controversial, evidence for the former presence of extraterrestrial life. The morphological and size resemblance of the crystals from meteorite ALH84001 to crystals formed by certain terrestrial bacteria has been used in support of the biological origin of the extraterrestrial minerals. By using tomographic and holographic methods in a transmission electron microscope, we show that the three-dimensional shapes of such nanocrystals can be defined, that the detailed morphologies of individual crystals from three bacterial strains differ, and that none uniquely match those reported from the Martian meteorite. In contrast to previous accounts, we argue that the existing crystallographic and morphological evidence is inadequate to support the inference of former life on Mars.

Bibliography

Buseck, P. R., Dunin-Borkowski, R. E., Devouard, B., Frankel, R. B., McCartney, M. R., Midgley, P. A., PÃ³sfai, M., & Weyland, M. (2001). Magnetite morphology and life on Mars. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(24), 13490â13495.

Authors 8

Peter R. Buseck (first)
Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski (additional)
Bertrand Devouard (additional)
Richard B. Frankel (additional)
Martha R. McCartney (additional)
Paul A. Midgley (additional)
Mihály Pósfai (additional)
Matthew Weyland (additional)

References 30 Referenced 117

10.1126/science.273.5277.924
10.1073/pnas.051514698
10.1016/S0016-7037(00)00481-6
K L Thomas-Keprta, S J Clemett, D A Bazylinski, J L Kirschvink, D S McKay, S J Wentworth, H Vali, E K Gibson Meteoritics Planet Sci Suppl 35, A156–A157 (2000). / Meteoritics Planet Sci Suppl by Thomas-Keprta K L (2000)
10.1073/pnas.051500898
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10.1127/0935-1221/2001/0013-0691
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S Mann, R B Frankel Biomineralization: Chemical and Biochemical Perspectives, eds S Mann, J Webb, R J P Willams (VCH, New York), pp. 389–426 (1989). / Biomineralization: Chemical and Biochemical Perspectives by Mann S (1989)
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10.1007/978-1-4757-5099-7

Dates

Type	When
Created	23 years ago (July 26, 2002, 10:35 a.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 13, 2022, 9:09 a.m.)
Indexed	2 days, 2 hours ago (Aug. 21, 2025, 2:08 p.m.)
Issued	23 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 20, 2001)
Published	23 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 20, 2001)
Published Online	23 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 20, 2001)
Published Print	23 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 20, 2001)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Buseck_2001, title={Magnetite morphology and life on Mars}, volume={98}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.241387898}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.241387898}, number={24}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Buseck, Peter R. and Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E. and Devouard, Bertrand and Frankel, Richard B. and McCartney, Martha R. and Midgley, Paul A. and Pósfai, Mihály and Weyland, Matthew}, year={2001}, month=nov, pages={13490–13495} }

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