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By Trend

Previously, NASA’s Curiosity rover detected traces of methane on Mars, confirmed by the European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express mission. The recently arrived to Mars Trace Gas Orbiter findings, however, showed no signs of the gas, puzzling scientists. This week, Curiosity again found methane at much higher levels then previously measured, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The Red Planet appears to erupt with methane from time to time, a possible indication of microbial life beneath the planet’s surface. New readings from NASA’s Curiosity rover received on Friday again detected methane but at much higher concentrations than earlier reported, according to The New York Times.

Launched in 2011, Curiosity first detected methane on the Martian surface in 2013 but evidence for the gas later disappeared, leaving scientists bewildered as to how to interpret the readings. The findings were then confirmed by an ESA orbital spacecraft known as the Mars Express, which also detected a methane spike.

But the orbital ESA/Roscosmos Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission, currently in Martian orbit, found no traces of methane in the atmosphere, adding to the mystery.

Although earlier measurements returned a methane density of up to 7 parts per billion in the atmosphere, already considered high, NASA’s new readings this week show a much higher 21 parts per billion.

Separate groups of scientists responsible for the Curiosity, the Mars Express and the TGO discussed the new methane readings, but are not yet ready to make a definitive conclusion. Dr. Marco Giuranna, a scientist at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Italy who works with the Mars Express, said he was informed about the 21 parts per billion, but considered the finding to be “preliminary.”