Methane on Mars could signal life | BBC

[Ediacara]

Methane on Mars could signal life

By Dr David Whitehouse
BBC News Online science editor


Is there life beneath the soil?

Methane has been found in the Martian atmosphere which scientists say could be a sign that life exists today on Mars.

It was detected by telescopes on Earth and has recently been confirmed by instruments onboard the European Space Agency's orbiting Mars Express craft.

Methane lives for a short time in the Martian atmosphere so it must be being constantly replenished.

There are two possible sources: either active volcanoes, none of which have been found yet on Mars, or microbes.

More at the BBC

[Eye and Monkey]

1. Life on Mars has already been documented (photo and link)

http://www.bartcop.com

[PartyPooper]

5. LOL! I think I saw these folks on "The Twlight Zone" 40 years ago.

It was an episode based on the "future" in space. At the time, little did we know...:eyes:

:D

[9215]

23. What was that movie "X-15 to Mars "or something? I laughed so

damn hard it nearly brought tears to my eyes. It had Lloyd Bridges and none of the other actors I have heard of. Cut in about 1950 or so.

In the rocket ship everybody was standing around in Air Force issue flight jackets, khakis and the "gung-ho" schtick so common to that time. Bridges was flirting with this "uptight-and untouchable" woman scientist who "couldn't connect to people emotionally".

The original itinerary was the Moon, but the ship hit some kind of a hi-speed slipstream and ended up on Mars where these hairy men and a woman with red glowing eyes threw big rocks at them.

I forget the ending I was delirious by that time.

[LastDemocratInSC]

2. I was going to say something about Taco Bell and vast distances ...

This is an extremely interesting finding, though. The Martian atmosphere is very thin because there are few sources of gases on the planet and the planet is small, so its gravity cannot hold gases for long periods, as our larger planet can.

If there is a constant source of methane, then the hunt is on for the sources.

[DarkPhenyx]

8. One current theory is that the microbes are Terrestrial...

...in origin. The hitched a ride on the previous landers and contaminated the planet.

[Teddy_Salad]

11. And the cow jumped over the moon???

..."If there is a constant source of methane, then the hunt is on for the sources."

MOOOOOOOOO!!!

[DBoon]

3. Methane?

How soon before Halliburton gets a sole source contract to drill for methane on mars?

[joeunderdog]

18. Wait a minute...they're already there!!!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Methane??? Mars????

I thought for sure it was URANUS!!!

[Ediacara]

6. There's methane there too :-)

hardee har har....

Seriously though, it's just CH₄, not a terribly complicated molecule :-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Oh I know...I was just cynically capitalizing on the obvious

[mobuto]

9. A sure sign of Republican bloviating

Scientists announce conclusive evidence of Republicans on Mars, a primitive form of life prone to gasseous emissions.

[mouse7]

10. Just remnants from Candy Crowley's coverage of Bush Mars speech

They put out a free food buffet for the reporters, and you can guess the rest.

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. So does that mean that Mars

is full of shit?

If it is, then what is creating all that shit, ah excuse me, gas? Somethings got to be pooping something.

[daleo]

13. It is too bad Beagle crashed

Its mission was oriented to searching for signs of life, so it may have been equipped to help solve this question.

[Gman]

14. The proof of water on Mars is irrefutable

[jpak]

15. On Earth, methanogenic archeabacteria utilize hydrogen and CO2

(or low-molecular-weight organic molecules like acetate) to produce methane.

The enzymes that catalyze these reactions discriminate between "heavy" (13-C) and "light " (12-C) forms of carbon.

Specifically, they discriminate against "heavy" carbon (13C) and produce methane that is enriched in "light" carbon (higher 12C:13C ratio) relative to ratio in the original CO2.

Biogenic Martian methane would therefore have a different ratio of 12C:13C than Martian atmospheric CO2.

If we knew the isotopic composition of Martian methane we would have the answer.

Time to send the in mass specs...

[Lisa]

22. Bingo!

And there's a machine across the lab from me that can do just that (isotope ratio mass spectrometer with a methane separator on the front end ...)

I would love to see those d13C ratios (and the hydrogen too).

Remember all the fuss over the "deep gas" project in Europe a while back? It turned out to be the carbide in the drill bit that was creating the CH4 from all the friction -- they could have saved themselves a lot of money and even more embarrassment if they'd checked the isotope ratios first thing.

[BiggJawn]

16. OK, who FARTED?

Once they find life, do you suppose the Fundies will all turn on each other arguing about who god made "first" and leave the rest of us alone?

[Snivi Yllom]

17. or prove there are Taco Bells on Mars....Fffffrrrrrtttttttttt!

[DrWeird]

19. I feel compelled to clear up some misconceptions.

Methane is an odorless and colorless gas.

It's more commonly referred to as natural gas when you burn it in your furnace or hot water heater. You may say "oh, but natural gas stinks." Indeed it does because it's been laced with sulfur bearing compounds. So in case there is a leak you can smell it.

Indeed there is methane in flatulence. Again, methane is still odorless. It's also sulfur bearing compounds that cause the pungent smell.

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. Thanks for clearing that up

I guess we can all breathe easier now.

However, now that natural gas has been discovered on Mars, how much longer before Bu$hCo will want to lay claim to it?

[The Sushi Bandit]

21. I was going to post this yesterday, but I thought no-one would care!

Lets hear it for OUT-GASSING!

[skooooo]

24. COWS ON MARS!!!