specialist seeing signs of past life on Mars

[skookum]

Well. That shut me up.

I was under the assumption that searching for life wasnt part of the primary mission for either spirit or opportunity, but rather secondary goals.

Never A Straight Answer I guess.

It may be fossilized microbiological life, it may not. The present Rover was not designed to look for life so we will need another. No doubt the next will look for microbiological life and if proven will pave the way for the next looking for very simple life.

Maybe I am talking BS but certainly won't do them any harm in securing more funding.

[Merc14]

Never A Straight Answer I guess.

It may be fossilized microbiological life, it may not. The present Rover was not designed to look for life so we will need another. No doubt the next will look for microbiological life and if proven will pave the way for the next looking for very simple life.

Maybe I am talking BS but certainly won't do them any harm in securing more funding.

What does that mean? Are you insinuating a cover-up of some kind? If so let's hear it.

[+Hammerclaw]

Not true. Look what robots have been able to do for us so far....

Great idea for a movie; Robcop vs Terminator!

[Imaginarynumber1]

Great idea for a movie; Robcop vs Terminator!

Dark Horse comics have done a few of those! There was also an she's game of that.

[+joc]

Would it really be surprising if ancient past life on mars were to be found? we still do not know what may have been before the dinosaurs on Earth, any ancient life on mars found would not be a surprise and do not see why it should be. It could give us an explanation towards our life here and yet maybe it will not. What does seem clear is that whatever life may have excited on Mars, it was not an evolved species of humans, there are no remains of buildings or pottery or anything resembling a man had lived there or anything with a skill to build......now that would be interesting if found though....carry on Rover, we need more.

Yes! Actually...it would be most surprising. Let us not forget...she is looking at 2 dimensional photographs...far cry from a verifiable 3D image with substance of solidity in the material world. I once saw a zebra playing with bigfoot....it was a cloud formation...not really but...get my point (please).

The other ...Fact...is that Mars has not changed its position in the solar system....perhaps at one time the sun was not as hot...perhaps at one time the atmosphere was much different...I think the likely scenario is however that...life began on Earth because it could...and it never began on any of the other planets because...it couldn't.

[Imaginarynumber1]

Dark Horse comics have done a few of those! There was also an she's game of that.

That should be snes. Damn phones auto correct.

[Merc14]

Yes! Actually...it would be most surprising. Let us not forget...she is looking at 2 dimensional photographs...far cry from a verifiable 3D image with substance of solidity in the material world. I once saw a zebra playing with bigfoot....it was a cloud formation...not really but...get my point (please).

The other ...Fact...is that Mars has not changed its position in the solar system....perhaps at one time the sun was not as hot...perhaps at one time the atmosphere was much different...I think the likely scenario is however that...life began on Earth because it could...and it never began on any of the other planets because...it couldn't.

Are you not aware that Mars was a very "wet planet" in its early history for at least 500 million years and possibly close to a billion? Are you suggesting microbial life couldn't have happened in that time?

Regardless, Professor Noffke has offered a THEORY, with her evidence, for peer review and only hopes that future discoveries will support her theory. That is how science works. Her theory will now be attacked and tested and will also help design instrument packages on future missions. Her evidence is compelling but certainly not definitive, but I am sure we will have an answer within the next few years.

[kartikg]

Why was there never a microscope on these rovers ? A microscope could have been very very useful.

[Atuke]

Like some of the above posters have questioned, why isn't there a better detection system on these rovers for past life? That is assuming there isn't any existing life beneath the surface. It takes practically decades and billions of dollars to plan a mission to Mars. You would think somewhere along the line someone would want to attach a portable sniffer or detection system of some kind of past life. NASA has been going there for over thirty years, at this point one mission and rover should be assigned to look for nothing else but signs of past life.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

because there's a finite amount of things the rovers can carry, or can be operated at a distance or have been "Ares-proofed", or that they wanted to look for.

[S2F]

because there's a finite amount of things the rovers can carry, or can be operated at a distance or have been "Ares-proofed", or that they wanted to look for.

Plus science is about verification as much as exploration. Some instruments are meant to verify things we suspect (but don't know) are true. Or conversely, turn those suspicions on their heads with new findings.

[Timothy]

http://phys.org/news...mars-rover.html

See, this is how you propose an hypothesis! I like how she rolls.

1. "All I can say is, here's my hypothesis and here's all the evidence that I have,"

2. "In one image, I saw something that looked very familiar," Noffke recalls. "So I took a closer look, meaning I spent several weeks investigating certain images centimeter by centimeter, drawing sketches, and comparing them to data from terrestrial structures. And I've worked on these for 20 years, so I knew what to look for."

3. "But if the Martian structures aren't of biological origin," Noffke says, "then the similarities in morphology, but also in distribution patterns with regards to MISS on Earth would be an extraordinary coincidence."

4. "At this point, all I'd like to do is point out these similarities," she adds. "Further evidence must be provided to verify this hypothesis."

1. Proposes hypothesis and evidence.

2. Demonstrates significant research and credibility.

3. Logical and open to differing conclusions.

4. Open to scrutiny and validation from third parties prior to her hypothesis being accepted.

(Maybe nice if you can follow her approach for future threads about strange photos on mars. I'm not having a go at you - just saying it would make for a much more positive discussion )

"At this point, all I'd like to do is point out these similarities," she adds. "Further evidence must be provided to verify this hypothesis."

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-01-potential-ancient-life-mars-rover.html#jCp

"At this point, all I'd like to do is point out these similarities," she adds. "Further evidence must be provided to verify this hypothesis."

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-01-potential-ancient-life-mars-rover.html#jCp

"At this point, all I'd like to do is point out these similarities," she adds. "Further evidence must be provided to verify this hypothesis."

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-01-potential-ancient-life-mars-rover.html#jCp

[taniwha]

When Mars finally gives birth i hope that special moment will be captured on film.

[toast]

When Mars finally gives birth i hope that special moment will be captured on film.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

When Mars finally gives birth i hope that special moment will be captured on film.

You foolish pudding brain, it's the MOON that's an egg, not Mars.

Mars is devoid of all life because of the being that evolved on Planet 5 (what is now the Asteroid Belt and a "Time-Looped" section of planet) stopped there for a snack before coming to Earth six million years in the past. It did a p*** poor job, because most of the native Martians hide on the moon Deimos or in deep hibernation nests.

this has been Sir Wearer of Hats' weekly Doctor Who reference. Not bad seeing as I managed to refer to something from the 20th century series, the 21st century series, the book series AND the audiobook series.

[Timothy]

You foolish pudding brain, it's the MOON that's an egg, not Mars.

*snip

this has been Sir Wearer of Hats' weekly Doctor Who reference. Not bad seeing as I managed to refer to something from the 20th century series, the 21st century series, the book series AND the audiobook series.

I like your disclaimer.

But wait, what! Moon an egg? Not cheese?

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Obviously what is now cheese was once lactate from the mother which laid the original egg.

Makes perfect sense.

[Timothy]

Obviously what is now cheese was once lactate from the mother which laid the original egg.

Makes perfect sense.

Yes - my bad. That is correct.

Moon Egg wooooooooooooooooo! Double yolk I hope, so we can share.

[Taun]

It was a bit flippant. Things had to evolve first and there was life before. But I was mainly trying to point out it would not be a surprise to find some form of ancient past life on Mars....possibly similar to pre dinosaur life on here.., but there are no ruins of buildings, so an intelligent life like man did not flourish there before escaping to Earth, as some think.

It would take about 100 Thousand years for virtually all surface traces of humans (on Earth) to vanish, due to erosion, decay, climate, etc... Of course traces could be found by digging... But on the surface... not so much... And Mars has been arid

for far longer than 100 thousand years...

[Timothy]

It would take about 100 Thousand years for virtually all surface traces of humans (on Earth) to vanish, due to erosion, decay, climate, etc... Of course traces could be found by digging... But on the surface... not so much... And Mars has been arid

for far longer than 100 thousand years...

I think 100,000 years would be an insufficient estimate. Even with current climate there would be some evidence visible on surface or seabed.

Eg. Dinosaur footprints and other fossils on millions-of-year-old surfaces.

Edit: Grammar.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Timonthy

[+joc]

Are you not aware that Mars was a very "wet planet" in its early history for at least 500 million years and possibly close to a billion? Are you suggesting microbial life couldn't have happened in that time?

Regardless, Professor Noffke has offered a THEORY, with her evidence, for peer review and only hopes that future discoveries will support her theory. That is how science works. Her theory will now be attacked and tested and will also help design instrument packages on future missions. Her evidence is compelling but certainly not definitive, but I am sure we will have an answer within the next few years.

I am not suggesting that at all. I'm just saying that I would be surprised.

I know that her knowledge about all of that is light years beyond mine...I believe she knows what she is talking about! I also know that a 2 dimensional picture is just that. It's an interesting theory..I would be surprised if it were true...that's all. Also...we are supposing something that may, in reality, be untrue...and that is that Life spontaneously erupts where all of the conditions for it to occur are 'right'. I think it is quite possible that Life on Earth did not spontaneously appear. I think it quite possible that Life began on Earth from spores transported via meteorites. That being said...if there were any Truth to that at all...Life would be spread throughout the Cosmos...establishing itself where it could. It isn't impossible that it could have flourished for a time on Mars...I would be surprised that's all.

[Calibeliever]

You foolish pudding brain, it's the MOON that's an egg, not Mars.

Mars is devoid of all life because of the being that evolved on Planet 5 (what is now the Asteroid Belt and a "Time-Looped" section of planet) stopped there for a snack before coming to Earth six million years in the past. It did a p*** poor job, because most of the native Martians hide on the moon Deimos or in deep hibernation nests.

this has been Sir Wearer of Hats' weekly Doctor Who reference. Not bad seeing as I managed to refer to something from the 20th century series, the 21st century series, the book series AND the audiobook series.

This makes TOTAL sense to me.

[Rafterman]

This would seem the logical place for some robotic "collector" to pick up samples. We did return humans (and rock samples) from the Moon; we could return samples from Mars. Yes, the gravity is greater than the Moon's but we also do not have the human payload and all the associated life support systems. It would be nice to have a decent sampling of material, rather than a few meteors found in Antarctica which may or may not have been contaminated by Earth organisms.

That's what is being planned for future missions.

[Rafterman]

Like some of the above posters have questioned, why isn't there a better detection system on these rovers for past life? That is assuming there isn't any existing life beneath the surface. It takes practically decades and billions of dollars to plan a mission to Mars. You would think somewhere along the line someone would want to attach a portable sniffer or detection system of some kind of past life. NASA has been going there for over thirty years, at this point one mission and rover should be assigned to look for nothing else but signs of past life.

Curiosity has a "sniffer" as you call it.

http://mars.nasa.gov...ctrometers/sam/

I guess it's human nature to Monday Morning Quarterback everything, but folks need to step back a second and realize what a phenomenal achievement Curiosity really is. Sure, it could use better cameras or this/that type of gear, but keep in mind that NASA essentially took a full size geology laboratory, shrunk it down to the size of a freaking microwave oven, blasted it into space, landed it on another planet, and it's worked pretty much flawlessly for almost two and a half years. And if all goes well, will probably still be running around up there when the next one lands.

I, for one, think that's pretty amazing.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Rafterman

[Merc14]

I am not suggesting that at all. I'm just saying that I would be surprised.

I know that her knowledge about all of that is light years beyond mine...I believe she knows what she is talking about! I also know that a 2 dimensional picture is just that. It's an interesting theory..I would be surprised if it were true...that's all. Also...we are supposing something that may, in reality, be untrue...and that is that Life spontaneously erupts where all of the conditions for it to occur are 'right'. I think it is quite possible that Life on Earth did not spontaneously appear. I think it quite possible that Life began on Earth from spores transported via meteorites. That being said...if there were any Truth to that at all...Life would be spread throughout the Cosmos...establishing itself where it could. It isn't impossible that it could have flourished for a time on Mars...I would be surprised that's all.

As she says in her hypothesis, "But if the Martian structures aren't of biological origin," Noffke says, "then the similarities in morphology, but also in distribution patterns with regards to MISS on Earth would be an extraordinary coincidence." Of course. all she is offering is a hypothesis and she states clearly that "Further evidence must be provided to verify this hypothesis."

The Mars Rover 2020 mission that is being designed now can be tuned to explore strong hypotheses like Noffke's and give that final proof. If it is proved that life did once exist on Mars and it appears very much like microbial life on earth, as Noffke suggests, then let the arguments regarding panspermia begin in earnest.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Merc14