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Methane On Mars May Indicate Living Planet

Posted by timothy on from the or-a-big-bean-dinner dept.

Riding with Robots writes "NASA is announcing today that the definitive detection of methane in the Martian atmosphere means the planet is still alive, at least geologically, and perhaps even biologically. 'Methane is quickly destroyed in the Martian atmosphere in a variety of ways, so our discovery of substantial plumes of methane in the northern hemisphere of Mars indicates some ongoing process is releasing the gas,' said one agency scientist. The gas was detected with observations made over over several Martian years with NASA telescopes at Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Both biological and geological processes could explain the methane."

5 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. UK has the comic character on Mars! by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 3, Informative

    Proof right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Fartpants

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    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  2. Methane on Mars, 2004 by mbone · · Score: 5, Informative

    This was reported by Mars Express in 2004.

    1. Re:Methane on Mars, 2004 by sighted · · Score: 5, Informative

      IANAS, but it appears that since these findings were obtained by a completely different process, they provide important confirmation of the Mars Express data--and extend that knowledge in an important way by adding location-specific information. From TFA: "According to the team, the plumes were seen over areas that show evidence of ancient ground ice or flowing water. For example, plumes appeared over northern hemisphere regions such as east of Arabia Terra, the Nili Fossae region, and the south-east quadrant of Syrtis Major, an ancient volcano 1,200 kilometers (about 745 miles) across."

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      Saddle up: Riding with Robots
  3. Re:Martian planetary defence system by domatic · · Score: 4, Informative

    In particular, mercaptans, hydrogen sulfide, and other sulfur compounds are responsible for most the disagreeable oder of flatus.

  4. Re:Let's take that seriously for a moment by Shimmer · · Score: 3, Informative

    You are confusing two different concepts. This should be an argument about the prevalence of abiogenesis (i.e. the creation of life from non-life), not the ability of life to adapt to harsh environments.

    On the other hand, it could turn out that there is life on Mars that was carried there from Earth (e.g. via a chunk of rock that was ejected from Earth and landed on Mars). In that case, we're back to marveling at the resilience of our single tree of life.

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    The most rabid believers in American Exceptionalism are the exact same people whose policies are destroying it.