Life on Mars!

Tecnos · 01-15-2009, 08:58 AM

Posted Today.........

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sciencean...e-of-life.html

Nasa scientists have detected "plumes" of methane on Mars, possibly indicating organic activity on the Red Planet.

Large quantities of the gas - which on Earth is mostly produced by living things - were recorded by three huge telescopes during a seven year study.

The level of activity was so great that at times it equalled the amount of the gas released at some of the most methane-rich locations on Earth.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2133475.ece

Today’s conference will be broadcast live online by NASA TV (www.nasa.gov/ntv) at 7pm (GMT).

ALIEN microbes living just below the Martian soil are responsible for a haze of methane around the Red Planet, Nasa scientists believe.

The gas, belched in vast quantities in our world by cows, was detected by orbiting spacecraft and from Earth using giant telescopes.

Nasa are today expected to confirm its presence during a briefing at their Washington HQ.

And the find is seen as exciting new evidence that Martian microbes are still alive today.

To read more of our exclusive UFO stories click here.

Some scientists reckon methane is also produced by volcanic processes. But there are NO known active volcanoes on Mars.

Furthermore, Nasa has found the gas in the same regions as clouds of water vapour, the vital “drink” needed to support life.

Experts speculate that the methane is being emitted as a waste product by organisms called methanogens living in water beneath underground ice.

And they would have to be alive today because the methane would otherwise have been lost from the Martian atmosphere.

John Murray — a member of the Mars Express European space probe team — believes the mini-Martians may be in a form of suspended animation and could even be REVIVED.

He has found overwhelming evidence of a vast frozen ocean beneath the dust near the Martian equator where simple life could have thrived as microbes.

Today’s briefing will feature a star panel of Mars experts headed by Michael Meyer, chief scientist for Nasa’s Mars programme.

UK Mars expert Professor Colin Pillinger believes the methane can only point to the presence of life on the planet.

His ill-fated Beagle 2 probe was carrying a laboratory that would have looked directly for such signs of life when it crashed on Christmas Day 2003.

Prof Pillinger told The Sun last night: “Methane is a product of biology. For methane to be in Mars’ atmosphere, there has to be a replenishable source.

“The most obvious source of methane is organisms. So if you find methane in an atmosphere, you can suspect there is life.

“It’s not proof, but it makes it worth a much closer look.”

Nasa’s findings confirm studies by Europe’s Mars Express probe, which has been orbiting the planet for five years and also reported signs of methane in 2004.

Britain’s top space expert Nick Pope last night hailed the new evidence of life as “the most important discovery of all time”.

He said: “What could be more profound than to know it’s not just us out there?

"We’ve really only scratched the surface — it’s an absolute certainty that there is life out there and we are not alone.

“If there is life on Mars then the logical conclusion is that there must be life elsewhere too.

“If it’s happened here on Earth, then why shouldn’t it happen anywhere? The implication is this is a universal law.

“Mars is very similar to Earth. It’s about the same size, it’s a rocky inner planet.

“Most scientists believe it probably has liquid water which is almost universally agreed as the pre-requisite for life. I am certain there is other life in the Universe and, most likely, intelligent life.”

The Red Planet has gripped the public imagination for more than a century as a possible home for aliens.

But life could not survive on its surface because, unlike the Earth, Mars has no magnetic shield to protect it against deadly sun radiation.

The planet resembles our own in many ways. It is made of rock, it has an atmosphere and weather systems.

Although much smaller with a diameter of around 4,222 miles, Mars’ day is just 40 minutes longer than ours and its tilted axis gives it seasons.

Water has been found in the form of buried ice and scientists believe that two billion years ago, Mars was covered with liquid oceans.

Proof that water is still on Mars came in 2007 when Mars Express used ground-piercing radar to study the region around the planet’s South Pole.

Nasa’s latest lander Phoenix dug up chunks of Martian ice last year. It swiftly evaporated into the thin atmosphere.

Nasa have controversially hit the headlines before for claiming evidence for Martians.

In 1996, they said they had discovered fossilised organisms in a meteorite from the planet.

But other scientists were sceptical.

kidflash2008 · 01-15-2009, 10:38 AM

Mars keeps teasing us but never delivers! I hope this one does pan out, as the discovery of life on another planet (not contaminated life from our own probes that have been to Mars before) would be a great discovery.

Area-51 · 01-15-2009, 11:06 AM

Many people such as John Lear (yeah I know what you are thinking:,, C´mon Area-51 don´t come with John Lear again

) claim, that there is life on mars. The "marsians" do live underground.

kidflash2008 · 01-16-2009, 10:46 AM

There are people other than Mr Lear who think Mars may have an alien base on it. The methane discovery could indicate life that originated there (or was left by the aliens). Either way, this is an important find that needs further research.

Tecnos · 01-16-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Either way, this is an important find that needs further research.

Looks like that is on the cards!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2137842.ece

ALien · 01-17-2009, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Mars is alive, according to Nasa scientists, who revealed the first 'definitive proof' of plumes of methane gas seeping from the surface.

When methane was first found in the Martian atmosphere in 2003, some scientists claimed it could have been dumped on the planet by comets. But the latest discovery is proof that it is actually produced on the Red Planet.

Professor Michael Mumma said last night the discovery of the gas meant there was a 'substantial probability that life was there or still survives' on our celestial neighbour.

Nasa's findings are highly significant because 90 per cent of the methane on Earth is produced by living organisms far under the soil.

'It might be possible for similar organisms to survive for billions of years below the permafrost layer on Mars, where water is liquid, radiation supplies energy, and carbon dioxide provides carbon,' NASA's lead scientist Mr Mumma said.

British scientists last night welcomed the discovery, published in the journal Science.
Professor Colin Pillinger, the Open University scientist behind the failed Beagle 2 Mars probe in 2003, said: 'Methane is one indicator of life - and this is still more circumstantial evidence.

'We only have methane on the Earth because it is pumped into the air by life forms, or because it comes out of volcanoes. The only way to prove it is produced by life on Mars is to go and have a look.'

No active volcanoes have ever been spotted on the Red Planet.

Mr Mumma said there was not yet enough information to know for certain whether the methane was a product of biology or geology. But he added: 'It does tell us the planet is still alive, at least in a geological sense. It is as if Mars is challenging us, saying, "hey find out what this means."'

Nasa is sending another probe to Mars in 2011. However, it will be poorly equipped to study methane and discover whether it comes from life.

The best chance to settle the life question will come in 2017 when Europe's ExoMars robotic mission is due to land on the Red Planet.

Since methane was discovered on Mars, Nasa and European spacecraft have also found water vapour in the atmosphere and ice below the surface.

The latest findings were made using three telescopes in Hawaii. The methane was detected using specialist high-dispersion infra-red spectrometers which can reveal the chemical make-up of gas.

Dr Mumma found plumes of methane in regions of Mars' northern hemisphere as it warmed during the Martian summer.

'One of the plumes released about 19,000 metric tons of methane,' he said.

The methane levels peak during the warmer summer months, providing the strongest hint yet that alien microbes could be thriving deep below the red, dusty surface.

While yesterday's news excited many scientists, some cynics repeated previous claims that Nasa has a self-interest in talking up the possibility of life on Mars to ensure continued government funding.

01-15-2009, 08:58 AM	#1
Tecnos Investigator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: UK Posts: 417	Life on Mars! Posted Today......... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sciencean...e-of-life.html Nasa scientists have detected "plumes" of methane on Mars, possibly indicating organic activity on the Red Planet. Large quantities of the gas - which on Earth is mostly produced by living things - were recorded by three huge telescopes during a seven year study. The level of activity was so great that at times it equalled the amount of the gas released at some of the most methane-rich locations on Earth. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2133475.ece Today’s conference will be broadcast live online by NASA TV (www.nasa.gov/ntv) at 7pm (GMT). ALIEN microbes living just below the Martian soil are responsible for a haze of methane around the Red Planet, Nasa scientists believe. The gas, belched in vast quantities in our world by cows, was detected by orbiting spacecraft and from Earth using giant telescopes. Nasa are today expected to confirm its presence during a briefing at their Washington HQ. And the find is seen as exciting new evidence that Martian microbes are still alive today. To read more of our exclusive UFO stories click here. Some scientists reckon methane is also produced by volcanic processes. But there are NO known active volcanoes on Mars. Furthermore, Nasa has found the gas in the same regions as clouds of water vapour, the vital “drink” needed to support life. Experts speculate that the methane is being emitted as a waste product by organisms called methanogens living in water beneath underground ice. And they would have to be alive today because the methane would otherwise have been lost from the Martian atmosphere. John Murray — a member of the Mars Express European space probe team — believes the mini-Martians may be in a form of suspended animation and could even be REVIVED. He has found overwhelming evidence of a vast frozen ocean beneath the dust near the Martian equator where simple life could have thrived as microbes. Today’s briefing will feature a star panel of Mars experts headed by Michael Meyer, chief scientist for Nasa’s Mars programme. UK Mars expert Professor Colin Pillinger believes the methane can only point to the presence of life on the planet. His ill-fated Beagle 2 probe was carrying a laboratory that would have looked directly for such signs of life when it crashed on Christmas Day 2003. Prof Pillinger told The Sun last night: “Methane is a product of biology. For methane to be in Mars’ atmosphere, there has to be a replenishable source. “The most obvious source of methane is organisms. So if you find methane in an atmosphere, you can suspect there is life. “It’s not proof, but it makes it worth a much closer look.” Nasa’s findings confirm studies by Europe’s Mars Express probe, which has been orbiting the planet for five years and also reported signs of methane in 2004. Britain’s top space expert Nick Pope last night hailed the new evidence of life as “the most important discovery of all time”. He said: “What could be more profound than to know it’s not just us out there? "We’ve really only scratched the surface — it’s an absolute certainty that there is life out there and we are not alone. “If there is life on Mars then the logical conclusion is that there must be life elsewhere too. “If it’s happened here on Earth, then why shouldn’t it happen anywhere? The implication is this is a universal law. “Mars is very similar to Earth. It’s about the same size, it’s a rocky inner planet. “Most scientists believe it probably has liquid water which is almost universally agreed as the pre-requisite for life. I am certain there is other life in the Universe and, most likely, intelligent life.” The Red Planet has gripped the public imagination for more than a century as a possible home for aliens. But life could not survive on its surface because, unlike the Earth, Mars has no magnetic shield to protect it against deadly sun radiation. The planet resembles our own in many ways. It is made of rock, it has an atmosphere and weather systems. Although much smaller with a diameter of around 4,222 miles, Mars’ day is just 40 minutes longer than ours and its tilted axis gives it seasons. Water has been found in the form of buried ice and scientists believe that two billion years ago, Mars was covered with liquid oceans. Proof that water is still on Mars came in 2007 when Mars Express used ground-piercing radar to study the region around the planet’s South Pole. Nasa’s latest lander Phoenix dug up chunks of Martian ice last year. It swiftly evaporated into the thin atmosphere. Nasa have controversially hit the headlines before for claiming evidence for Martians. In 1996, they said they had discovered fossilised organisms in a meteorite from the planet. But other scientists were sceptical. __________________ Last edited by Tecnos; 01-15-2009 at 09:00 AM.

01-15-2009, 11:06 AM	#3
Area-51 Investigator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 433	Many people such as John Lear (yeah I know what you are thinking:,, C´mon Area-51 don´t come with John Lear again) claim, that there is life on mars. The "marsians" do live underground.

01-17-2009, 06:00 AM	#7
Tecnos Investigator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: UK Posts: 417	This thread is already being discussed.... Life on Mars! __________________

01-17-2009, 10:48 AM	#9
Tecnos Investigator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: UK Posts: 417	After imbibing a couple of shandies? __________________

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01-15-2009, 10:38 AM	#2
kidflash2008 Senior Investigator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,726	Mars keeps teasing us but never delivers! I hope this one does pan out, as the discovery of life on another planet (not contaminated life from our own probes that have been to Mars before) would be a great discovery.

01-16-2009, 10:46 AM	#4
kidflash2008 Senior Investigator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,726	There are people other than Mr Lear who think Mars may have an alien base on it. The methane discovery could indicate life that originated there (or was left by the aliens). Either way, this is an important find that needs further research.