Mars Life found!??

[leinad (Dan)]

This may be a bit premature, and there doesn't appear to be any credible sources as yet, but this was just in.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sciencean...-factfile.html
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...99-950,00.html

Could the hush hush announcement by the Phoenix Lander team been attributed to this news?

Have we found life? Could this mean an abundance of life in the universe is possible and can be justified?

If this news is credible; then we are indeed living in possibly the most exciting times known to human kind? We have found life exists elsewhere in the universe!

[renormalised (Carl)]

Can't see any evidence of a news release on the NASA site, but it certainly would be interesting news, though not unexpected.

[browndog (Ian)]

There is this on the NASA website:
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009...rs_Update.html

WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a science update at 2 p.m. EST, Thursday, Jan. 15, to discuss analysis of the Martian atmosphere that raises the possibility of life or geologic activity. The briefing will take place in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St., S.W., Washington, and carried live on NASA Television.

[leinad (Dan)]

Originally Posted by browndog

There is this on the NASA website:
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009...rs_Update.html

WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a science update at 2 p.m. EST, Thursday, Jan. 15, to discuss analysis of the Martian atmosphere that raises the possibility of life or geologic activity. The briefing will take place in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St., S.W., Washington, and carried live on NASA Television.

Thanks for that Browndog. So If Im correct; that will be roughly 4am Western Oz time? We'll see what reports are released tomorrow morning

Could there be an abundance of decomposed plant life being exposed from the soils of Mars?

Are there any geologists/astro/biologists here? If they believe microbial life is releasing this methane into the atmosphere and its being replenished; would this not need to be quite a large quantity of microbial life?

[renormalised (Carl)]

Geologist here.....depends on how much methane they've detected. It doesn't necessarily have to be of biological origin. There are some processes that do produce methane in the geological context...some volcanic processes produce methane from the breakdown of some minerals in the presence of hot fluids (water, CO2 etc). However, the vast majority of methane produced on Earth, at least, is of biological origin. I'll hazard a guess and say they've found non-biogenic methane.

[kinetic (Steve)]

What the....?

Why do they leap to such huge conclusions.....?
No wonder the general public have such an indifference to
news releases like these...

From a highly non-academic (read dumb Sparky) point of view,
I thought Titan rained methane from the sky, even had lakes
and rivers of the stuff....doesn't that mean by definition it's
a candidate for life?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4193043.stm

Saturn's atmosphere has a high methane content...

The rings are methane ice I think...

quite a stretch...

Steve

[mellotron]

Methane on Mars is nothing new, there was a fuss about it in 2004. If you google for "Mars Methane" you will find lots of links from the first time this was found.

The press conference must be about something more specific, and will most likely be a big let down if you expect amazing news... but you never know!

[theodog (Jeff)]

Originally Posted by kinetic

What the....?

Why do they leap to such huge conclusions.....?
No wonder the general public have such an indifference to
news releases like these...

Steve

I hope this makes sense.
IMHO

It's not "huge conclusions" but huge publicity. We seem to live in an era of best case/worst case senario. For example, the moderates on Global Warming just don't make the news anymore.

Science finds methane on Mars;
1) that makes Mars average OR
2) that may, could, possibly mean that there is or was life on Mars.

Number two gets the headline "Evidence for Life on Mars".

In bad economic times, the sensational 'discoveries' seem to be pushed more (I believe) in a bid to secure funding.

This can be seen on this site (not a critisism) with Titles to threads.

[ngcles]

Hi Leinad & All,

Here are two links to the findings:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/37667714.html

http://www.spaceref.com:80/news/viewpr.html?pid=27373

Certainly interesting but no reason to leap to any wild conclusions -- but it is strange. It seems the methane in the atmosphere is being replenished. Sunlight will destroy methane over time so it appears there is a source that is re-gassing the atmosphere. Where does it come from?

No definitive evidence either way. Could be geological, could be biological, could come from a cometary impact -- at this stage it's anyone's guess.


Best,

Les D

[renormalised (Carl)]

Just read the findings....very interesting. This is a prime example of why we should get people to the planet as quickly as possible. It doesn't matter how sophisticated a probe is, it will never be able to replace a human explorer with the equipment to do the work that needs to be done. If the source of the methane is biological and buried nearly 2 miles down in the rock, to find our for sure they will need to drill down to the site....there's no probe capable of doing this. Samples need to be taken and thin sectioned to find out what's happening. The only way to do this is to have a drill crew there, doing the job.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Just had a funny.....I can see the headlines in the papers, now....

"SUPER INTELLIGENT MARTIAN MICROBES INVADE EARTH!!!"

You can almost hear Holst "The Planets....Op.32 1. Mars, Bringer of War" playing now!!!!

H.G Wells....eat ya heart out!!!

[leinad (Dan)]

Hehe,

Haven't read the entire report as yet. But yes indeed it does look very interesting. Ive been reading about the areas in question, and checking backwards and forwards over the images from HiRise website.
Will check it out more later on.

[leinad (Dan)]

I propose Bruce Willis and his mining team. Though one Chuck Norris might do it alone.

Originally Posted by renormalised

Just read the findings....very interesting. This is a prime example of why we should get people to the planet as quickly as possible. It doesn't matter how sophisticated a probe is, it will never be able to replace a human explorer with the equipment to do the work that needs to be done. If the source of the methane is biological and buried nearly 2 miles down in the rock, to find our for sure they will need to drill down to the site....there's no probe capable of doing this. Samples need to be taken and thin sectioned to find out what's happening. The only way to do this is to have a drill crew there, doing the job.

[Astro78]

Originally Posted by leinad

I propose Bruce Willis and his mining team. Though one Chuck Norris might do it alone.

The Gaarvonor of California might have something to say about that

[AlexN]

Chuck Norris would look at the ground on mars, and it would separate... No drill required... For as we all know, When Chuck Norris glares at the sun, the sun averts is eyes... what chance does the Martian surface have if the sun cant withstand chucks glare