Martian methane could be of biological origin

[ant0n]

Methane (CH4), which can be an indicator of life (biomarker) on Earth, has been detected by spacecraft orbiting Mars and by the Curiosity rover on the Martian surface. The question of the origin of the Martian methane - particularly whether it's a biological or chemical origin - has puzzled scientists since that discovery in 2004. Now a new paper, "Methanogenic Archaea Can Produce Methane in Deliquescence-Driven Mars Analog Environments" by Debbie Maus from the Technical University Berlin and colleagues (including the author of this article), provides a plausible mechanism for how methane can be produced biologically under certain environmental conditions found on Mars.

The science team put together an experimental chamber in which microbes obtained water exclusively by deliquescence. This is critical because the Martian surface is nowadays devoid of liquid water.

The team found that two of the three tested organisms produced significant amounts of methane, particularly when exposed to salts and soils similar to some of the clay-rich soils found in ancient lakes on Mars.

https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/biological-solution-mystery-methane-mars-180973934/

[Grim Reaper 6]

45 minutes ago, ant0n said:

Methane (CH4), which can be an indicator of life (biomarker) on Earth, has been detected by spacecraft orbiting Mars and by the Curiosity rover on the Martian surface. The question of the origin of the Martian methane - particularly whether it's a biological or chemical origin - has puzzled scientists since that discovery in 2004. Now a new paper, "Methanogenic Archaea Can Produce Methane in Deliquescence-Driven Mars Analog Environments" by Debbie Maus from the Technical University Berlin and colleagues (including the author of this article), provides a plausible mechanism for how methane can be produced biologically under certain environmental conditions found on Mars.

The science team put together an experimental chamber in which microbes obtained water exclusively by deliquescence. This is critical because the Martian surface is nowadays devoid of liquid water.

The team found that two of the three tested organisms produced significant amounts of methane, particularly when exposed to salts and soils similar to some of the clay-rich soils found in ancient lakes on Mars.

https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/biological-solution-mystery-methane-mars-180973934/

Recent studies prove that water flows on the surface of Mars, not only in the past but right now, During certain seasons of the Martian year.

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-confirms-evidence-that-liquid-water-flows-on-today-s-mars

peace

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by Manwon Lender

[ant0n]

8 minutes ago, Manwon Lender said:

Recent studies prove that water flows on the surface of Mars, not only in the past right now, only depending upon the season.

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-confirms-evidence-that-liquid-water-flows-on-today-s-mars

peace

 

That article was published in September 2015. This one was in November 2017. Still from NASA. The existence of liquid water on the Martian surface has still to be clarified at this point. That's an interesting topic too.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/recurring-martian-streaks-flowing-sand-not-water

[Grim Reaper 6]

36 minutes ago, ant0n said:

That article was published in September 2015. This one was in November 2017. Still from NASA. The existence of liquid water on the Martian surface has still to be clarified at this point. That's an interesting topic too.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/recurring-martian-streaks-flowing-sand-not-water

Thanks for the correction, and I agree that the subject of methane on Mars  is very interesting. Its a shame tha the Curiosity River doesn't have the ability to determine whether the Methane is biological or not.

peace

[ant0n]

10 minutes ago, Manwon Lender said:

Thanks for the correction, and I agree that the subject of methane on Mars  is very interesting. Its a shame tha the Curiosity River doesn't have the ability to determine whether the Methane is biological or not.

peace

You're welcome.

Next July, 4 new missions to Mars will be launched:

 

Mars 2020 will look for evidence of ancient habitable environments and for chemical signatures of any microbes that lived in them.

 

The scientific objectives of the ExoMars programme 2016-2020 include: searching for signs of past and present life on Mars, studying the water and geochemical environment as a function of depth in the shallow subsurface, and investigating Martian atmospheric trace gases and their sources.

To achieve these objectives, ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, which was launched on 14 March 2016 and is scheduled to arrive at Mars in October 2016, will measure and map methane and other important trace gases with high sensitivity to provide insights into the nature of the source through the study of gas ratios and isotopes.

The 2020 ESA ExoMars Rover will search for two types of life signatures, morphological and chemical, with an accurate study of the geological context.

https://exploration.esa.int/web/mars/-/46038-methane-on-mars

[Grim Reaper 6]

1 hour ago, ant0n said:

You're welcome.

Next July, 4 new missions to Mars will be launched:

 

Mars 2020 will look for evidence of ancient habitable environments and for chemical signatures of any microbes that lived in them.

 

The scientific objectives of the ExoMars programme 2016-2020 include: searching for signs of past and present life on Mars, studying the water and geochemical environment as a function of depth in the shallow subsurface, and investigating Martian atmospheric trace gases and their sources.

To achieve these objectives, ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, which was launched on 14 March 2016 and is scheduled to arrive at Mars in October 2016, will measure and map methane and other important trace gases with high sensitivity to provide insights into the nature of the source through the study of gas ratios and isotopes.

The 2020 ESA ExoMars Rover will search for two types of life signatures, morphological and chemical, with an accurate study of the geological context.

https://exploration.esa.int/web/mars/-/46038-methane-on-mars

Please start a thread when the new findings come in, that should be pretty conclusive and answer many questions.

thanks for the information and peace.

[ant0n]

7 minutes ago, Manwon Lender said:

Please start a thread when the new findings come in, that should be pretty conclusive and answer many questions.

thanks for the information and peace.

My pleasure.

I've been looking forward to (scientific) evidence for the existence of non-earthly life for a pretty long time.

As we saw with the two NASA articles posted earlier in this discussion, what is considered "evidence" may not be confirmed so after a while though...

[Grim Reaper 6]

11 minutes ago, ant0n said:

My pleasure.

I've been looking forward to (scientific) evidence for the existence of non-earthly life for a pretty long time.

As we saw with the two NASA articles posted earlier in this discussion, what is considered "evidence" may not be confirmed so after a while though...

Yes it does appear that NASA isn't completely certain, but the new information starting in July should clear things up. I am also very interested in this subject and I would also like to see if there was some form of life on Mars before Solar wind blew its atmosphere away so long ago.

Again Thanks and peace

Edited January 12, 2020 by Manwon Lender