Tissint, the Martian meteorite that fell in Morocco in July 2011 reveals, following many analyses, an unprecedented diversity of organic compounds, indicates a press release from the Hassan II University of Casablanca (UH2C). This is what emerges from the quintessence of the work published in “Science Advances by an international team of researchers with the participation of Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane, professor at UH2C (Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock) and president of ATTARIK Foundation”, indicates the same source.
“Prospecting for the organic matter contained in Tissint can help answer the question of the presence of a form of life in the past on the red planet”, specifies the same source, adding that “Tissint is the fifth observed fall of Martian meteorite in the world”. “The work carried out on this meteorite gave rise, in early 2012, to an article published in Science by an international consortium of researchers led by Professor Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane. This work had made it possible to show that the ejection of this rock from the surface of the planet Mars took place less than a million years ago, following a very violent impact, and that at that time , Mars was wet”.
This work is a precursor and paves the way for the study of the return of Martian samples to Earth, in particular that concerning the formation, stability and dynamics of organic compounds in current Martian environments. This publication enriches the contribution on the subject and underlines the efforts made in Morocco by researchers from the Hassan II University of Casablanca and ATTARIK Foundation for more than twenty years, to enhance the meteorites of Morocco both scientifically and heritage, the statement concludes.
