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Scientists Look at Martian Salt for Ancient Life

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the would-you-like-fries-with-that dept.

eldavojohn writes "Is there life on Mars? Maybe not, but a better question might be whether or not it has ever existed on Mars? Scientists are claiming that the best indication for this will be in newly found evaporated salt deposits on Mars which they can use to check for cellulose. Here on earth, tiny fuzzy fibers have been found in salt dating back almost 250 million years making it the oldest known evidence of life on earth. Jack Griffith, a microbiologist from UNC, is quoted as saying, 'Cellulose was one of the earliest polymers organisms made during their evolution, so it pops out as the most likely thing you'd find on Mars, if you found anything at all. Looking for it in salt deposits is probably a very good way to go.'"

4 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. 250 million? by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Here on earth, tiny fuzzy fibers have been found in salt dating back almost 250 million years making it the oldest known evidence of life on earth.

    Earth cellular life evidence dates back to about 4 billion years if I remember correctly. Even some trilobite fossils date to around 530 million years ago. Perhaps they meant "250 million years since the formation of Earth"? Its a trick to make me RTFA to find out what they really meant.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  2. Re:Return Sample? by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You've been watching too much sci-fi...It's unlikely that something from such a wildly different evolutionary line would even be infectious to us.

    1. We don't know that with any certainty. It may end up being a "contest" to see which side can evolve an advantage over the other first before immunities are built up by both sides.

    2. Mars life may be related. Studies suggest asteroids can blast spores betweens planets.

    It's still pretty rare that diseases jump species here

    But species jumpers also tend to be some of the deadliest. Livestock are notorious for producing whoppers.

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    Table-ized A.I.
  3. Re:So what else is new? No life on Mars. by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you want cold lifeless desert, go to Death Valley or Arabia or the Gobi. It's much closer. You get the same empty experience, and, most importantly, you don't cost your fellow taxpayers any money.


    None of these, of course, are actually lifeless.
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    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  4. Re:that's not the reason... by ScrewMaster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    To talk about space exploration and ignore real problems is to talk like a thief and a fool. Both of which we have too many of already. Grow up already and enter the real world.

    Well, it's a damned good thing the Queen of Spain didn't think like you.

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    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.