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Old 17-12-2014, 05:58 AM
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JB80 (Jarrod)
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Life on Mars: Nasa finds first hint of alien life!

Don't blame me for the headline, blame the telegraph.

http://www.telegraph...alien-life.html

http://www.telegraph...-Mars-live.html



Quote:
The first hints of life on Mars have been discovered by Nasa.
Intriguing ‘burps’ of methane have been recorded by the Curiosity Rover which may have been produced by bacteria. Most methane on Earth is produced as a waste gas by living organisms.

Curiosity has previously found water bound in the fine soil of the Red Planet, believed to be crucial to life. But if the existence of living, breathing microbes is confirmed, it will be the first evidence of life outside Earth.

“What is interesting is that these spikes of methane are coming and going. They are transient,” said Dr Paul Mahaffy at Nasa.
“At the moment we can’t really tell anything, but these burps are intriguing. We have to keep an open mind.

“We don’t want to eliminate anything, and potentially it could indicate life or evidence of ancient methane trapped which could show ancient life.
“But it’s interesting to think about why it comes and goes. It seems to be suggestive of a localised source.”
Nasa claims that with more readings it would be possible to test isotope levels which would prove if the emissions came from a biological source.



Jarrod.

Last edited by sheeny; 17-12-2014 at 07:04 PM. Reason: Fix up Title for OP
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Old 17-12-2014, 07:54 AM
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rustigsmed (Russell)
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interesting times!
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Old 17-12-2014, 08:27 AM
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Definately fascinating times we live in.

I'm glad it's described as a possible microbe burp and not a microbe "poot"
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Old 17-12-2014, 09:01 AM
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http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4413
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Old 17-12-2014, 10:56 AM
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mithrandir (Andrew)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JB80 View Post
edit: Oops with the title, can a mod please change that for me and get rid of the '2 unfollow this topic' bit.
Jarrod, I think you can edit the title. You have to use the "advanced" edit button after you open the post with the "edit" button.
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Old 17-12-2014, 11:05 AM
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Baddad (Marty)
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This is awesome. My ears have pricked up. If life is discovered on the planet I expect a lot of excitement from both sides. The pro and the deny.
A new age will begin.
Thanks Jarrod.
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Old 17-12-2014, 11:11 AM
deanm (Dean)
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They've confirmed the variable & sporadic presence of methane in the Martian atmosphere.

Full stop.

That is not the same as the detection of extraterrestrial life (much as I might hope that may happen...)

Dean
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Old 17-12-2014, 11:36 AM
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traveller (Bo)
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Nah, it's just some green Martians hiding under the soil and farted...
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Old 17-12-2014, 11:45 AM
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ZeroID (Brent)
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Interesting !!! This is going to upset a few diehards if it proves to be true...
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Old 17-12-2014, 01:06 PM
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mswhin63 (Malcolm)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JB80 View Post
edit: Oops with the title, can a mod please change that for me and get rid of the '2 unfollow this topic' bit.
Used advanced edit and should be able to edit the title.
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Old 17-12-2014, 01:30 PM
el_draco (Rom)
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It's life Jim, but perhaps as we know it...

I have no doubt what so ever that life exists on Mars. However, it would have to be genetically completely different from earth based life to be a game changer.

Rocks from both planets have visited each others surfaces in the past and that would pretty much kill any claim of a "spontaneous start-up " of life on Mars....

Rats.... on so many levels. How would the creationists cope with that lolly I wonder....

Maybe just bogan earth feral bacteria ponging up the joint...
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Old 17-12-2014, 04:44 PM
Brian3. (Brian)
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This, together with organic molecules, is a blast.
It is what years of gazing at the night sky has been about.
A fortunate time to be alive indeed...
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Old 17-12-2014, 06:22 PM
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I think it is drawing a very long bow connecting these methane spikes with extra terrestrial life! It appears to be an anomaly that they are using to drum up a bit of media hype. And organic compounds are not like we envisage them here on earth, vegetation, animals etc, it merely means the compounds contain carbon. This isn't to say they won't find signs of life or past life on Mars, just that this really isn't that big an indicator.
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Old 17-12-2014, 06:36 PM
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Many years ago Mars had oceans and jungles, an intelligent species evolved, which depleted the forrests and caused the planet to warm. The intelligent species moved many many meters below the surface. They used atomic bombs to create many caverns to hold what was left of their water. They learnt to recycle and collected methane from their waste.Notwithstanding their efficient methane plants allow a small amount of methane to escape to the surface.
The latest findings of methane are therefore expected.
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Old 17-12-2014, 07:11 PM
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Life is the chief producer of methane on Earth, but many non-biological processes can generate the gas. Quote from a related article.

Life on Mars? Well I for one dont know and at the moment no one else does.

Better just wait and see what other data come to hand in the following days / weeks.
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Old 17-12-2014, 07:18 PM
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pmrid (Peter)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
Many years ago Mars had oceans and jungles, an intelligent species evolved, which depleted the forrests and caused the planet to warm. The intelligent species moved many many meters below the surface. They used atomic bombs to create many caverns to hold what was left of their water. They learnt to recycle and collected methane from their waste.Notwithstanding their efficient methane plants allow a small amount of methane to escape to the surface.
The latest findings of methane are therefore expected.
Bless you Alex. Bless you! It's so obvious. I wonder if the underground civilisations speak English. It would make life so much easier once we make contact.

Peter
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Old 17-12-2014, 07:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
Many years ago Mars had oceans and jungles, an intelligent species evolved, which depleted the forrests and caused the planet to warm. The intelligent species moved many many meters below the surface. They used atomic bombs to create many caverns to hold what was left of their water. They learnt to recycle and collected methane from their waste.Notwithstanding their efficient methane plants allow a small amount of methane to escape to the surface.
The latest findings of methane are therefore expected.
Are you pitching the plot to a new Sci-Fi novel.
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Old 17-12-2014, 07:58 PM
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Bless you Alex. Bless you! It's so obvious. I wonder if the underground civilisations speak English. It would make life so much easier once we make contact.

Peter
No they are so advanced they are telepathic.
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Old 17-12-2014, 08:00 PM
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Are you pitching the plot to a new Sci-Fi novel.
I would be surprised if one does not already exist.
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Old 18-12-2014, 10:13 AM
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I think Alex read Ray Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles"
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