The strongest evidence yet that life could exist on Mars has been discovered by scientists, in the form of a sea of ice near the planet’s equator. The ice sheet detected by the European Mars Express spacecraft appears to have bubbled up from a subterranean aquatic layer, which researchers believe may harbour the right conditions for primitive microbes to have evolved. As the frozen sea is certainly of geologically recent origin, the find makes it more probable than ever that any life that might once have emerged on the Red Planet could still survive there. Any such lifeforms would be microscopic creatures, similar to bacteria. They would have been brought to the surface by the geyser-like spring that burst through fissures in the rock to form the ice sea in the Elysium region, and could be preserved there. The findings, which are published today in the journal Nature, suggest that Elysium is the best place on Mars where scientists might look for evidence for life, and mark it out as an early candidate site for the next landings planned by the European Space Agency and Nasa.

John Murray, of the Open University, one of the leaders of the high-resolution stereo camera team that made the discovery, said he had been happy to believe that traces of past life might have been found in the rocks on Mars, although he would not have imagined finding life there. “But it’s a possibility now,” he added. “If there are organisms, we will be looking at the organisms themselves, rather than fossils. Europe is sending the ExoMars lander in 2011 and Nasa the Mars Science Laboratory at about the same time. I would say Elysium is by far the most likely place for finding life on Mars, and that’s where we should be going.

View: Full Article | Source: Times Online

This is indeed another positive for life once existing on mars or even still existing. Hopefully the next robotic explorers that land there can uncover some more evidence in favour of this!

Very, very interesting. And at the end of the article, it talks about how methane has been detected. And the only two ways it can be formed that are known are through life processes or volcanic activity.

It's widely believed that Mars is geologically inactive, and has been as such for millions of years.

So that leaves us with one conclusion!

I agree... and with spending millions of dollars on these probes to Mars and Saturn, why not invest that money to finally send a man to Mars? I would think our technology is at least close to begin some kind of campaign? The only way to be sure Mars is inactive or active is to send somebody there physically. I just think it would be wiser putting millions of dollars into getting physical evidence.

We have been to the moon and have been orbiting earth with our space stations for how long and no one has ever thought of going to Mars yet without sending probes?

Maybe I'm just anctious but I rather see the money go into that than get back evidence from a probe.

Matt ~
Editor of My Two Sense

The cost of sending people to Mras would be around 100 billion according to NASA scientist and do you actually believe that at the current time the amercian government can spare that much money on a mission to mars or that the amercian public will approve of all their taxes being spent that way.
A joint venture between countries would make things far easier but that probably wont happen for quite awhile.

that gets us closer to mars

I agree...

A join venture by several countries would be great. But with all the war going on with Iraq that's where all of our money is going. Not only that, now our government must settle differences with N. Korea and other small countries with nukes before heading into a man made mission to Mars. I think Russia and our country should band together on the space frontier. But that's just me. If Russia and the USA can work together maybe we help prove to other countries that we can all work together instead of against one another.

But that's a whole other issue... hehehe.

Matt ~

I'd much rather spend WAR monies on space exploration.
I do firmly believe that Mars holds many clues to life's origin. I also do firmly believe that with what was already discovered on Mars, there is a coverup of information. Too many things look familiar there, and can be found on Earth! ie: pyramids, water channels, buildings and that FACE? How about this one, look at the NASA pics, looks like a desert on Earth. Even the Sun and sky look very familiar.
Something happened there, and who's to say that life on Earth was not a beneficiary from Mars?

^Indeed.

If we really wanted to send people to mars it would really have to be an international effort with countries like the U.S, Russia, China, Japan, India and many european countries. That way, the costs could be shared far easier, more resources, facilities, technoligies woudl be available. The only problem with that though is the infighting and stalling that may occur with so many participants. Probably China, US and Russia could do it alone though!

what a great way to "lay the swords down" and get along. All three could take pride in being the first to visit Mars. Someone has to get there and land in the areas that have given the most promise of life, past and present. I will always believe that Mars was an Earth, and very recently, about 100,000 years.
That "face", pyramids and other things seen, can only mean someone is hiding something. How about those underground "clear tunnels" that have been seen?

It actually would be a great way to show unity and friendship, show the world that we can all put aside our differences for the greater good of the race. We are capable of far more then we give ourselves credit for, if only we could learn to work together and respect one another we could achieve so much!