U-series dating data, Genomic data and Raman spectra data

Similar to early Mars where aridification had remained for millions of years, the western Qaidam Basin in the north of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is extremely dry and covered by a broad area of playas since the Pleistocene. From the primary fluid inclusions within halite minerals in the salt duricrust, we found β-carotene, lipids and kerogen that were very likely of biological origin. The long-term preservation of these organic compounds within halite fluid inclusions for hundreds of thousands of years in an extremely dry region gives a clue to the search for life in evaporite flats on Mars.

与经历了数百万年持续干旱化的早期火星相似，青藏高原北部的柴达木盆地西部极端干旱，自更新世以来便广泛分布着大片干盐湖（playa）。我们从盐壳（salt duricrust）内石盐（halite）矿物中的原生流体包裹体（fluid inclusions）中，检测到了β-胡萝卜素（β-carotene）、脂质与干酪根（kerogen），这些物质极有可能具有生物起源。这些有机化合物在极端干旱区域的石盐流体包裹体中得以保存数十万年之久，为在火星蒸发盐坪（evaporite flats）上搜寻生命迹象提供了关键线索。