Methane Discovered In Mars Atmosphere! Discovery Could Mean Life On Mars

[Better Believe It]

Methane discovery could mean life on Mars
By Azadeh Ansari
CNN
January 15, 2009

New finding reveals the first detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars
Methane could have come from past or present geological or biological activity

(CNN) -- Scientists have discovered methane in Mars' atmosphere, raising the possibility that life might exist on the planet.

The methane could have come from past or present subsurface microorganisms, geological activity or comets striking the planet, scientists and NASA officials said. Scientists were not sure how long the methane has been on the planet.

"It's time, it's prudent that we begin to explore Mars looking for the possibility of a life form that's exhaling methane," said Lisa Pratt, professor of geological sciences at Indiana University, at a NASA news briefing Thursday.

"Microbes that produced methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide were one of the earliest forms of life on Earth," said Carl Pilcher, director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, which partially supported the research. "If life ever existed on Mars, it's reasonable to think that its metabolism might have involved making methane from Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/01/15/mars.methane/index.html

[onehandle]

1. Please, oh please find life. Fundie heads would explode. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Before the announcement we need to take cover though

that will be an explosion for the ages!

(Fer the record, the science office in Rome, yes they do have such an animal, already came with a statement that basically accepts the existence of life OUTSIDE Earth... I guess they had enough with Galileo and Copernicus and learned the lesson... ye can't stop science)

[onehandle]

15. Yeah, the Church was kind of burned on that whole Galileo thing.

Since then they have actually been pretty progressive on science.

Unlike fundies, they do acknowledge that evolution is a reality.

[Sheets of Easter]

3. "Take me to your **PPFPPFT**- excuse me."

[Better Believe It]

4. Paper Details Sites on Mars With Plumes Of Methane

Paper Details Sites on Mars With Plumes Of Methane
By KENNETH CHANG
New York Times
January 15, 2009

In early 2003, a plume of methane gas rose from the surface of Mars. The big unanswered question is, What belched?

Subsurface Martian cows are highly unlikely. But scientists are seriously considering the possibility of bacteria.

A team of researchers reported Thursday that the bursts of methane originated from three specific regions in the planet’s northern hemisphere, where it was midsummer. The gas came out at a rate of 0.6 kilograms a second, the scientists said, and the plume contained 19,000 metric tons of methane.

The findings appeared in a paper published online Thursday by the journal Science. Dr. Mumma said additional scientific papers describing other time periods of the observations, which span from 2001 to last year, were being prepared.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/science/space/16mars.html?ref=us

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. I, for one, welcome our new Subsurface Microorganism overlords.

[Better Believe It]

8. And if the massive gas plumes are caused by Martian cows that fart a lot ....

human life never had a chance on Mars.

COWS GRAZING ON MARS

[spindrifter]

6. Maybe we could send * to

explore the methane fields--and Sarah P. can go with him.

[CAG]

7. That's just a load of s*#t :-)

[Canuckistanian]

9. Show me the lifeforms or direct evidence of their remains

All this shows us is that methane has been discovered where it was not 100% expected.

Also, the presence of methane is NOT proof or even a reliable indicator of life.

Keep digging, guys.....

[Better Believe It]

11. No problem .... Here's a photo of a dead Martian cows remains

It's just the cows head, but what more evidence could you want?

:)

[Neshanic]

10. "Mars Gassy Cows Attack!"

[Octafish]

12. Dr. Hynek wasn't joking.

They are swamp gas.

[MilesColtrane]

13. It's only a matter of time before Taco Bell begins marketing 'Martian Burritos'.

Yo Queiro Olympus Mons?

[TankLV]

14. Martians just farting around I guess...

not much else to do there - gardening this year if "off" a bit...