Report: Evidence for Mars life found
Posted: Wed, Feb 16, 2005, 8:52 PM ET (0152 GMT)
NASA scientists have found evidence that could support the existence of life on Mars today, SPACE.com reported Wednesday. According to the report, NASA Ames scientists Carol Stoker and Larry Lemke told a private meeting of NASA officials Sunday that they had found "methane signatures and other signs of possible biological activity" on Mars. That evidence, they said, could be explained if conditions below the Martian surface were like those in the Rio Tinto in Spain, where bacterial life thrives despite the very acidic conditions there. A paper describing the findings has been submitted to the journal Nature for potential publication in May. Methane was detected in the Martian atmosphere by the Mars Express spacecraft, although that discovery remains somewhat controversial. New Scientist reports that the discovery of methane, and possibly formaldehyde, will be the focus of discussion at a Mars Express science conference next week.
NASA scientists have found evidence that could support the existence of life on Mars today, SPACE.com reported Wednesday. According to the report, NASA Ames scientists Carol Stoker and Larry Lemke told a private meeting of NASA officials Sunday that they had found "methane signatures and other signs of possible biological activity" on Mars. That evidence, they said, could be explained if conditions below the Martian surface were like those in the Rio Tinto in Spain, where bacterial life thrives despite the very acidic conditions there. A paper describing the findings has been submitted to the journal Nature for potential publication in May. Methane was detected in the Martian atmosphere by the Mars Express spacecraft, although that discovery remains somewhat controversial. New Scientist reports that the discovery of methane, and possibly formaldehyde, will be the focus of discussion at a Mars Express science conference next week.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, March 21
Military sites could help launch SA into space
The Times (South Africa) — 9:42 am ET (1342 GMT) New Mexico residents have yet to book spaceflights
Las Cruces (NM) Sun-News — 9:42 am ET (1342 GMT) The dotcom millionaires launching their own private space race
The Guardian — 9:37 am ET (1337 GMT) NASA jobs in limbo
Galveston Daily News — 9:33 am ET (1333 GMT) Satellite sending solar-storm data to CU
Denver Post — 9:32 am ET (1332 GMT) |