Major constituents of the dry1 atmosphere of Mars:
95.9% carbon dioxide (CO2);
2% Argon (Ar);
1.9% Nitrogen (N2);
0.14% Oxygen (O2).
Major constituents of the dry atmosphere of Earth:
.04% carbon dioxide (CO2);
0.93% Argon (Ar);
78.08% Nitrogen (N2);
20.95% Oxygen (O2).
Doesn't sound like "vastly different elements" to me. Author doesn't know what he is talking about.
1. "Dry" atmosphere excludes highly variable water vapor constituent.
It does seem as if some science writers don't know all that much about science themselves, and so sometimes misinterpret what the scientists and/or their spokespeople tell them.