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Is Mars A Green Planet?

linuxator writes: "While scientists were looking at stuff that Pathfinder collected from the red planet, they discovered that they may be looking at chlorophyll. What does it prove if it really is chlorophyll? Well, chlorophyll is that green stuff in plants... So figure it out yourself :) "

11 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by leviramsey · · Score: 3, Funny

    Scientists at the International Slashdot Observatory have found evidence of repeat postings on /.

    The lead researcher said, in presenting his findings, "compare this article with the parent. Notice the stunning similarity? The only rational explanation is that Slashdot is repeating itself."

  2. I know what it means... by joshjs · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...somebody left the latch up, and the pathfinder was rolling around in the garden again. That's all. ;p

  3. Re:More Martian Psuedoscience by dodald · · Score: 3, Insightful
    It seams to me that most people disagree with you. There is evidence of significant ammounts of water on mars. If you perform the same calculations for Earth what are your results? I highly doubt that there is enough energy from the Sun to create water on this planet, yet we have water and tons(an understatement) of iron.

    We know there is water on a couple moons, which would get significantly less exposure to the sun. I am really just curious.

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  4. We've been through this before by nucal · · Score: 3, Informative
    This was already covered. Read this press release, released following the BBC article.

    "Stoker has said they did not find evidence of chlorophyll or any evidence of life on Mars," the spokesperson said. "There's really nothing to report. I think they [the BBC] read more into the abstract than is really there."

  5. Sheesh by quantaman · · Score: 2

    Next thing you they're gonna be saying Mars is a Blue Planet!
    (someone's got to know what I'm talking about)

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    1. Re:Sheesh by Perdo · · Score: 2

      We will have your comment removed because it infringes on our intellectual property. Then we will kill your dog. We will have you fired. And you will be ceremoniously executed for your insolence.

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  6. Shakespeare on Mars-Much Ado About Almost Nothing by cybrpnk · · Score: 2

    I think this whole thing has been blown WAY out of proportion. They measured the illumination levels of pixels in 15 wavelengths. Out of all the Pathfinder photos, six pixels were found that matched the illumination levels you would expect for chlorphyll. Four of the six pixels were of the spacecraft body. Surely NASA checked the lander for moss growth before launch so two-thirds of the pixels are false positives right off the bat. Now, if you were going to bet on the origin of the other two (count em - two) pixels, what's the odds breakdown - chance vs. Mars life vs. flecks of paint or something else from the lander that we ALREADY KNOW can trigger false positives?

  7. Re:More Martian Psuedoscience by jsimon12 · · Score: 2

    Only it turns out that water on Mars is an impossibility. Combining H2 with O is an entropic
    process, meaning it requires quite a bit of energy (specifically E = Lf*m where Lf is the heat of fusion of
    water).



    Where do you get your information from? Sure there may not be enough energy for combustion of
    Hydrogen on Mars, but last time I checked there were a myriad of sources of water and energy. First a
    foremost the Oort Cloud and comet material, not to mention the fact that Mars was probably considerably
    more geologically active at one point and probably supported a considerably more dense atmosphere,
    which in turn would have allowed for more liquid water. But simply writing off life on Mars because of a
    misguided use on entropy, really makes me wonder if you are a Fundie or something looking for a way to
    deride extraterrestrial life in order to support your dogma based belief system.

  8. Re:Hey PhysicsDoofus by renehollan · · Score: 2
    And who the heck are Feldmeyer and Smythe [google.com]? Google turns up nothing on these figments of your imagination.

    How the names Pons and Fleischmann got so perverted is beyond me.

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  9. It could be... by Rorschach1 · · Score: 2

    If you used the flawed software they used for that color of the universe thing.

  10. Re:More Martian Psuedoscience by Perdo · · Score: 2

    You mean I'm supposed to mouse with my hand?

    Just when I covered my entire floor with sorbothane...

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