Free Astronomy Magazine January-February 2023 ARABIC VERSION

Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) apparatus onboard Percy. Like the discovery of “the most distant galaxy ever” or “the largest prime number yet discov- ered,” we await Percy’s arrival at a new location in the Jezero delta where such organic molecule con- centrations may be considerably higher still. Unfortunately, the equipment onboard Perseverance does not allow for the detailed char- acterization of the types and variety of molecules collected on the sur- face. The molecules might have been ancient waste products of bio- logical processes or the molecular debris of long-extinct living organ- isms. Alternatively, these organics might be the small, simple molecular species for which time, radiation, and chemistry might have eventually produced the right conditions for the earliest of biologically relevant processes to occur if Mars had not gone from life-sustaining to dry and inhospitable on its surface over three billion years ago. These mole- cules might also simply have been deposited and concentrated as the ancient river delta dried up during the transition of the river delta, and Mars itself, to what we know it as today, with the right conditions for life or its pre-biotic chemical under- pinnings never having been achieved at all. The problem with simple molecules is that both biological and non-bio- logical processes are equally capable of producing them – the existence of methanol and ethanol both in our bodies and in the cold vacuum of in- terstellar clouds is certainly proof of this point. Without invoking a higher power, hyperdimensional alien seeding, or a rather complex time travel scenario, it can be stated with very high confidence that the chemistry of life did not begin with proteins and DNA, but that larger and more complex molecules are one of the key steppingstones on the road to life as we know it. At our current level of understanding, we simply do not know if the organic molecules we’ve detected might have been the eventual cause of life on Mars, the products of living processes on Mars, or of absolutely ﻣﺠﻠﺔ Astronomy ﺎﻟﻌﺮ ﺔ ١٠ ﻣﺜﻞ اﻛﺘﺸﺎف أﺑﻌﺪ ﻣﺠﺮة ﻋﲆ اﻹﻃﻼق أو أﻛ ﱪ ﻋـﺪد أوﱄ ﺗـﻢ اﻛﺘﺸـﺎﻓﻪ ﺣﺘـﻰ اﻵن ، ﻧﻨﺘﻈـﺮ وﺻﻮل ا ﺴـﺒﺎر ا ﺘﺠـﻮل ﺑ ﺳـﻴﻔ اﻧ إﱃ ﺲ ﻣﻮﻗﻊ ﺟﺪﻳﺪ ﰲ دﻟﺘﺎ ﺟﻴﺰﻳﺮو ﺣﻴﺚ ﻗـﺪ ﺗﻜـﻮن ﺗﺮﻛ ﻴﺰات اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﺎت اﻟﻌﻀـﻮﻳﺔ أﻋـﲆ ﺑﻜﺜـ . ﻟﺴﻮء اﻟﺤﻆ ﻻ ﺗﺴﻤﺢ ا ﻌﺪات ا ﻮﺟﻮدة ﻋـﲆ ﻣﺘﻦ ا ﺴـﺒﺎر ﺑﺎﻟﺘﻮﺻـﻴﻒ اﻟﺘﻔﺼـﻴﲇ ﻷﻧـﻮاع اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﺎت وﺗﻨﻮﻋﻬـﺎ اﻟﺘـﻲ ﺗـﻢ ﺟﻤﻌﻬـﺎ ﻋـﲆ اﻟﺴﻄﺢ . ﻗﺪ ﺗﻜﻮن اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﺎت ﻧﻔﺎﻳﺎت ﻗﺪﻳﻤﺔ ﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴـﺎت ﺑﻴﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺔ أو ﺣﻄﺎم ﺟﺰﻳﺌـﻲ ﻟﻜﺎﺋﻨـﺎت ﺣﻴـﺔ ﻣﻨﻘﺮﺿﺔ ﻣﻨﺬ زﻣﻦ ، ﻃﻮﻳﻞ ﺑﺪﻻً ﻣﻦ ذﻟـﻚ ﻗـﺪ ﺗﻜـﻮن ﻫـﺬه ا ـﻮاد اﻟﻌﻀـﻮﻳﺔ ﻫـﻲ اﻷﻧـﻮاع اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﻴﺔ اﻟﺼﻐ ة واﻟﺒﺴـﻴﻄﺔ اﻟﺘـﻲ اﻟﻮﻗـﺖ واﻹﺷﻌﺎع واﻟﻜﻴﻤﻴﺎء ﺗﻨﺘﺞ ﰲ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﻈﺮوف ــ ا ﻨﺎﺳﺒﺔ ﻟﺤﺪوث أدﻧﻰ اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺎت اﻟﺒﻴﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴـﺔ ذات اﻟﺼﻠﺔ إذا ﻟﻢ ﻳﻨﺘﻘﻞ ا ﺮﻳﺦ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺤﻔـﺎظ ﻋﲆ اﻟﺤﻴﺎة إﱃ اﻟﺠﻔﺎف واﻟﻈـﺮوف اﻟﻘﺎﺳـﻴﺔ ﻋﲆ ﺳﻄﺤ ﻪ ﻣﻨﺬ أﻛﺜـﺮ ﻣـﻦ ﺛﻼﺛـﺔ ﻣﻠﻴـﺎرات ، ﺳـﻨﺔ رﺑﻤـﺎ ﺗـﻢ ﺗﺮﺳـﻴﺐ ﻫـﺬه اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌـﺎت وﺗﺮﻛﻴﺰﻫﺎ ﺑﺒﺴﺎﻃﺔ ﻣﻊ ﺟﻔـﺎف دﻟﺘـﺎ اﻟﻨﻬـﺮ اﻟﻘﺪﻳﻢ أﺛﻨﺎء اﻧﺘﻘﺎل دﻟ ﺘﺎ اﻟﻨﻬﺮ وا ﺮﻳﺦ ﻧﻔﺴﻪ إﱃ ﻣﺎ ﻧﻌﺮﻓﻪ اﻟﻴـﻮم ﻣـﻊ اﻟﻈـﺮوف ا ﻨﺎﺳـﺒﺔ ﻟﻠﺤﻴــﺎة أو اﻷﺳــﺲ اﻟﻜﻴﻤﻴﺎﺋﻴــﺔ اﻟﺴــﺎﺑﻘﺔ ﻟﻠﺤﻴﻮﻳﺔ . ﻟﻢ ﻳﺘﻢ ﺗﺤﻘﻴﻘﻪ ﻋﲆ اﻹﻃﻼق . ﺗﻜﻤـﻦ ﻣﺸـﻜﻠﺔ اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌـﺎت اﻟﺒﺴـﻴﻄﺔ ﰲ ن أ اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺎت اﻟﺒﻴﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺔ وﻏ اﻟﺒﻴﻮﻟﻮ ﺟﻴﺔ ﻗﺎدرة ﻋﲆ إﻧﺘﺎﺟﻬـﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﺴـﺎوي ﻓﻮﺟـﻮد ا ﻴﺜـﺎﻧﻮل واﻹﻳﺜ ـﺎﻧﻮل ﰲ أﺟﺴـﺎﻣﻨﺎ وﰲ اﻟﻔــﺮاغ اﻟﺒ ـﺎرد ﻟﻠﺴﺤﺐ اﻟﺒﻴﻨﺠﻤﻴﺔ ﻫﻮ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﺄﻛﻴـﺪ دﻟﻴـﻞ ﻋـﲆ ــــ ﻫﺬه اﻟﻨﻘﻄﺔ . ﻻ ﻳﺠـﺐ اﻟﺘـﺬرع ﺑﻮﺟـﻮد ﻗـﻮه ﻣﺠﻬﻮﻟـﺔ أو ﺑـﺬر ﻓﻀـﺎﺋﻲ ﻓـﺎﺋﻖ اﻷﺑﻌـﺎد أو ﺳﻴﻨﺎرﻳﻮ ﻣﻌﻘﺪ ﻟﻠﺴﻔﺮ ﻋﱪ اﻟﺰﻣﻦ ، ﻟﺬﻟﻚ ﻳﻤﻜﻦ اﻟﻘﻮل ﺑﺜﻘﺔ ﻋﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﺟﺪًا أن ﻛﻴﻤﻴﺎء اﻟﺤﻴـﺎة ﻟـﻢ ﺗﺒﺪأ ﺑﺎﻟﱪوﺗﻴﻨـﺎت واﻟﺤﻤـﺾ اﻟﻨـﻮوي وﻟﻜـﻦ اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﺎت اﻷﻛﱪ واﻷﻛﺜﺮ ﺗﻌﻘﻴ ﺪًا ﻫـﻲ واﺣـﺪة ﻣﻦ ﺧﻄﻮات أﺳﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﻋﲆ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ اﻟﺤﻴﺎة ﻛﻤـﺎ ﻧﻌﺮﻓﻬﺎ . ﻟﺬﻟﻚ ﺑﺎﻷﺧﺬ ﻳﻌ اﻻﻋﺘﺒـﺎر ﻣﺴـﺘﻮى ﻓﻬﻤﻨـﺎ اﻟﺤﺎﱄ ﻓﻨﺤﻦ ﻻ ﻧﻌﺮف ﺑﺒﺴﺎﻃﺔ ﻣﺎ إذا ﻛﺎﻧـﺖ اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﺎت اﻟﻌﻀـﻮﻳﺔ اﻟﺘـﻲ اﻛﺘﺸـﻔﻨﺎﻫﺎ ﻗـﺪ ﺗﻜﻮن ا ﻟﺴﺒﺐ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋﻲ ﻟﻠﺤﻴﺎة ﻋـﲆ ا ـﺮﻳﺦ أو ﻧﺘﺎج اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺎت ﻟﻠﻜﺎﺋﻨﺎت اﻟﺤﻴﺔ ﻋﲆ ا ﺮﻳﺦ أو أﻧ ﻬﺎ ﻻ ﻋﻼﻗﺔ ﻟﻬﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻴﺎة ﻋﲆ اﻹﻃﻼق ﻻ ﻣـﻦ ﻗﺮﻳﺐ وﻻ ﻣﻦ ﺑﻌﻴﺪ . ﺗﻈﻬﺮ اﻟﺼﻮر ﺎن ﻣﻦ اﻟﺼﺨﻮرﺑﺤ ﻢﻃ ﺎﺷ اﻟﻔﺼﻮل اﻟﺪراﺳ ﺔ داﺧﻞ ﻣﺜﻘﺎب اﻟﻤﺴ ﺎراﻟﻤﺘﺠﻮل اﺳﻄﻮاﻧﺘ ﺑ ﺳ ﻔ اﻧﺲ اﻟﺘـﺎﺑ ﻊ ﻟﻮ ﺎﻟـﺔ ﻧﺎﺳـﺎ ﻣـﻦ ﻧﺘـﻮء ﺻـﺨﺮ " ﺴﻤﻰ وا ﻠﺪ ﺎت ر ﺪج " ﻓﻲﻓﻮﻫﺔ ﺟ ﺮو ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻤﺮ ﺦ . اﻟﺘﻘﻄﺖ ﺻـﻮرة اﻟﻘﻠـﺐ اﻟﺼـﺨﺮي ﻋﻠـﻰ اﻟ ﺴـﺎر، اﻟﻤﺴـﻤﺎة " " ﻫـﺎز ﻠﺘﻮب ـﺎﻣ ا ﺑﻮاﺳـﻄﺔ ) ﻣﺎﺳـﺖ ﻓﻲ ( زد- ﺎم ٢٥ ﻳﻮﻟﻴﻮ ٢٠٢٢ أو اﻟﻴﻮم ٥٠٩ اﻟﻤﺮ ﺨﻲ ﻟﻠﻤﻬﻤﺔ . ﻣـﻦ ﻗﻠـﺐ اﻟﺼـﺨ ﺗﻢ اﻟﺘﻘﺎط اﻟﺼﻮرة اﻟﻤﻮﺟـﻮدة ﻋﻠـﻰ اﻟ ﻤـ ﺮ اﻟﻤﺴـﻤﻰ " ﺑ واﻟـﻮ " ﻓـﻲ وذﻟـﻚ ٢ أﻏﺴﻄﺲ ٢٠٢٢ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻴﻮم اﻟﻤﺮ ﺨﻲ ٥١٦ ﻟﻠﻤﻬﻤﺔ . ﻳ ﻠﻎ ﻗﻄﺮ ﻞ ﻧﻮاة ١٣ ﻣﻠﻢ وﻃﻮﻟﻬﺎ ٦٠ ﺗـﻢ. ﻣﻠـﻢ ـﺮو وﻫـﻲ أﺧـﺬﻫﺎ ﻣـﻦ دﻟﺘـﺎ ﻧﻬـﺮﻗـﺪ ﻢ ﻓـﻲﻓﻮﻫـﺔ ﺟ ، ﺎن أﺣﺪ اﻷﻧﻬﺎر ﺘﺪﻓﻖ إﻟﻰ ﺑﺤـ ة وﻳﺮﺳـﺐ اﻟﺼـﺨﻮرواﻟﺮواﺳـﺐ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﻋﻠﻰﺷ ﻞ ﻣﺮوﺣﺔ ﺣ ﺚ ، ﻣﻨﺬ ﻣﻠ ﺎرات اﻟﺴﻨ . ﻔﺴـﺮاﻟﻌﻠﻤـﺎء ﻫـﺬﻩ اﻟﺼـﺨﻮرﻋﻠـﻰ أﻧﻬﺎ ﺻﺨﻮررﺳﻮﺑ ﺔ دﻗ ﻘﺔ اﻟ ـ . ﺤﺒﻴ ﺎت ﻳ ﺪو أﻧﻬﺎ ﺗﺸ ﻠﺖ ﻓﻲﻇﺮوف اﻟﻤ ﺎﻩ اﻟﻤﺎﻟ ـ ﺤﺔ ، ر ﻤﺎ ﺴ ﺐ ﺗﺒﺨﺮاﻟﻤ ﺎﻩ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺒﺤ ة اﻟﻘﺪ ﻤﺔ ﻟﻠﻔﻮﻫـﺔ . ﺗـﻢ إﻏـﻼقﻫـﺬﻩ ـــﺐ ﻋ ﻨـــﺎت ﻓﺎﺋﻘـــﺔ اﻟﻨﻘـــﺎء وﺗﺨﺰ ﻨﻬــﺎ ﻓـــﻲ ﻧﻈـــﺎم أﺧـــﺬ اﻟﻌ ﻨـــﺎت واﻟﺘﺨـــﺰ ﻦ اﻟﻤﺆﻗـــﺖ اﻟﻨــﻮى اﻟﺼـــﺨﺮ ﺔ ﻓـــﻲ أﻧﺎﺑ ﺠــﺰء ﻣـــﻦ اﻟ ـــﺎة ﺒﺤـــﺚ ﻋـــﻦ اﻟﻌﻼﻣـــﺎت اﻟﻘﺪ ﻤـــﺔ ﻟﻠﺤ اﻟﻤ ﻜﺮو ﺔ . إن اﻟﺘﺤﻘﻖﻣﻦ اﻟ ـ ﺤ ﺎة اﻟﻘﺪ ﻤﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻤﺮ ﺦ ﻳ ﻤﻞ ﻋﺐء إﺛ ﺎت ﻫﺎﺋﻞ . ﻳﻨﺎﻳﺮ ﻓ اﻳﺮ 2023