Editing Fossil (section)

== Astrobiology ==
It has been suggested that [[biomineralization|biominerals]] could be important indicators of [[extraterrestrial life]] and thus could play an important role in the search for past or present life on the planet [[Mars]]. Furthermore, [[organic compounds (minerals)|organic components]] ([[biosignature]]s) that are often associated with biominerals are believed to play crucial roles in both pre-biotic and [[biotic material|biotic]] reactions.<ref name=SSG>{{Cite book |editor2-first=David |editor2-last=Beaty |chapter=Final report of the MEPAG Astrobiology Field Laboratory Science Steering Group (AFL-SSG) |title=The Astrobiology Field Laboratory |editor1-first=Andrew |editor1-last=Steele |publisher=[[Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group]] (MEPAG) – NASA |place=U.S. |page=72 |date=26 September 2006 |chapter-url=http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/reports/AFL_SSG_WHITE_PAPER_v3.doc |chapter-format=.doc |access-date=29 December 2014 |author=The MEPAG Astrobiology Field Laboratory Science Steering Group |archive-date=11 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511055338/https://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/reports/AFL_SSG_WHITE_PAPER_v3.doc |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 24 January 2014, NASA reported that current studies by the [[Curiosity (rover)|''Curiosity'']] and [[Opportunity (rover)|''Opportunity'']] [[Mars rover|rovers]] on Mars would begin searching for evidence of ancient life, including a [[biosphere]] based on [[autotroph]]ic, [[chemotroph]]ic and/or [[Chemolithotrophs|chemolithoautotrophic]] [[microorganism]]s, as well as ancient water, including [[Lacustrine plain|fluvio-lacustrine environments]] ([[plain]]s related to ancient [[river]]s or [[lake]]s) that may have been [[Planetary habitability|habitable]].<ref name="SCI-20140124a">{{cite journal |last=Grotzinger |first=John P.|title=Introduction to Special Issue – Habitability, Taphonomy, and the Search for Organic Carbon on Mars|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |date=24 January 2014 |volume=343 |number=6169 |pages=386–387 |doi=10.1126/science.1249944 |bibcode=2014Sci...343..386G |pmid=24458635|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124special">{{cite journal |author=Various |title=Special Issue – Table of Contents – Exploring Martian Habitability |url=https://www.science.org/toc/science/343/6169 |date=24 January 2014 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=343 |number=6169 |pages=345–452 |access-date=24 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129042127/http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6169.toc#SpecialIssue |archive-date=29 January 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124">{{cite journal |author=Various |title=Special Collection – Curiosity – Exploring Martian Habitability |url=https://www.science.org/action/doSearch?AllField=Curiosity+Mars |date=24 January 2014 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |access-date=24 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128102653/http://www.sciencemag.org/site/extra/curiosity/ |archive-date=28 January 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="SCI-20140124c">{{cite journal|author=Grotzinger, J.P. |title=A Habitable Fluvio-Lacustrine Environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars |date=24 January 2014 |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |volume=343 |number=6169 |doi=10.1126/science.1242777 |page=1242777|bibcode = 2014Sci...343A.386G |display-authors=etal |pmid=24324272|citeseerx=10.1.1.455.3973 |s2cid=52836398 }}</ref> The search for evidence of [[Planetary habitability|habitability]], [[taphonomy]] (related to fossils), and [[organic carbon]] on the planet [[Mars]] is now a primary [[NASA]] objective.<ref name="SCI-20140124a" /><ref name="SCI-20140124special" />