Biology – Quantitative Biology – Biomolecules
Scientific paper
Nov 1996
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996p%26ss...44.1441m&link_type=abstract
Planetary and Space Science, v. 44, p. 1441-1446.
Biology
Quantitative Biology
Biomolecules
9
Scientific paper
A characteristic hallmark of life is its homochirality: all biomolecules are usually of one hand, e.g. on Earth life uses only l-amino acids for protein synthesis and not their d mirror images. It is therefore suggested that a search for extra-terrestrial life can be approached as a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Homochirality (SETH). A novel miniaturized space polarimeter, called the SETH Cigar, is described which could be used to detect optical rotation as the homochiral signature of life on other planets. Moving parts are avoided by replacing the normal rotating polarizer by multiple fixed polarizers at different angles as in the eye of the bee. It is believed that homochirality will be found in the subsurface layers on Mars as a relic of extinct life.
Barron Laurence D.
Brack André
Buhse Thomas
Drake A. F.
Emery R.
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