NASA announced this week that it is developing a portable “chemical laptop” at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, that could search for alien life. In a blog post, NASA described the device as a small, tricorder-like device from “Star Trek” that can take samples from alien soil and analyze them for amino acids and fatty acids, essential ingredients for life.
NASA hopes to use this laptop to find life on other planets.
The chemical laptop is powered by a battery and scientists say it can be reprogrammed to perform various functions. It requires the presence of water to work, but that's not an issue since water is essential for the existence of life and therefore on planets like Mars, there is water that can be used by the device.
So the laptop can mix a soil sample with water, then heat the mixture to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and perform the analysis. A microchip helps separate the amino acids and fatty acids from each other, and then detect them, if present, by passing them through a detection laser.
Researchers tested the device at JPL's Mars Yard last year. Next up is the Atacama Desert in Chile. If it passes the test, it will be incorporated into the next mission to Mars.
