Amazing science! AI-powered robot unearths oxygen-making molecule on Mars in record time

In a groundbreaking discovery, an AI-powered robot chemist has successfully synthesised compounds from Martian meteorites that could potentially be used to generate oxygen on the Red Planet.

Oxygen on Mars: Future manned missions to the Red Planet require a sustainable source of oxygen, crucial for both human survival and as rocket propellant. Harnessing Martian resources is essential for cost-effective space exploration.

Mars' Frozen Water Ice Reserves: Mars hosts substantial reserves of frozen water ice, offering a valuable resource for oxygen production. Scientists aim to extract oxygen from water through chemical processes, exploring catalysts as a key solution, according to Nature report. 

The Role of Catalysts: Catalysts are essential in splitting water molecules to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas. The study focuses on identifying catalysts from Martian materials, particularly meteorites, to leverage existing resources.

AI Chemist: An AI chemist, equipped with a robot arm, conducted experiments on five categories of Martian meteorites. The objective was to identify catalysts suitable for water splitting.

The AI chemist utilised a laser to scan the meteorite samples, identifying over 3.7 million possible molecules from six metallic elements found in Martian rocks: iron, nickel, manganese, magnesium, aluminium, and calcium.

Within just six weeks and without human intervention, the AI chemist selected, synthesised, and tested 243 different molecules from the potential pool, showcasing unprecedented efficiency.

Mars Conditions: The AI chemist identified the best catalyst capable of splitting water at -34.6F (-37C), mimicking the cold temperatures found on Mars. This discovery accelerates the development of oxygen production technology for future missions.

Human vs. AI Efficiency: Comparatively, it is estimated that a human scientist would require around 2,000 years to identify the optimal catalyst through conventional trial-and-error methods. This highlights the remarkable efficiency of AI in scientific exploration.

The team now aims to test the AI chemist under various Martian conditions beyond temperature, considering factors like atmospheric composition, air density, humidity, and gravity.