It's official.... Boffins find life on Mars

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:36 pm

Life on Mars | Nasa's historic discovery of methane gas on planet Mars | The Sun |News

Post by **spot** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:30 pm

You know, your methane's scarcely life. As molecules go it's fairly fundamental. It has a molecular weight of 16, it has five atoms per molecule, it's the simplest possible hydrocarbon. It would be difficult to imagine an inorganic universe with no methane in it. Methane even appears in astronomical spectra. If they find a bar of soap that's a different matter but methane's not going to have much impact on the life-on-Mars brigade.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:34 pm

spot;1110002 wrote: You know, your methane's scarcely life. As molecules go it's fairly fundamental. It has a molecular weight of 16, it has five atoms per molecule, it's the simplest possible hydrocarbon. It would be difficult to imagine an inorganic universe with no methane in it. Methane even appears in astronomical spectra. If they find a bar of soap that's a different matter but methane's not going to have much impact on the life-on-Mars brigade.

Agreed Spot. However, it does show there must have been a presence of water leading to micro-organisms at some stage of the planet's life.

Post by **spot** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:42 pm

oscar;1110004 wrote: Agreed Spot. However, it does show there must have been a presence of water leading to micro-organisms at some stage of the planet's life.

No it doesn't! That's one possible route to create methane, there are dozens. "leading to micro-organisms" is an outrageous extrapolation.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:49 pm

Yes your right, I just read it. Thats pretty amazing news actually.

Wow.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 1:57 pm

It doesn't prove life on Mars of course, but it does make it far more likely that its quite probable as an explanation. Very interesting.

Post by **spot** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:03 pm

You saw the bit about it's also to be expected wherever there's been volcanoes? And that volcanoes are rarely seen as a fingerprint of any life system?

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:22 pm

spot;1110019 wrote: You saw the bit about it's also to be expected wherever there's been volcanoes? And that volcanoes are rarely seen as a fingerprint of any life system?

Yes, but evidence of geological activity leading to the release of Methane on Mars is also incredibly interesting scientifically. Its impossible to know at present, but its an interesting scientific puzzle to keep working on. Don't forget that we now know there is frozen water on mars, and methane, what we need is more evidence before any serious conclusions can be reached. This is all circumstantial. But methane is a significant find. The region where this methane plume would be important, as would its seasonal variability, and correlative evidence of a geologic or biological origin.

I admit that if it is geological in nature, it doesn't have the same headline quality of LIFE ON MARS! But I do find it encouraging that THE SUN! is leading today with a science-related story that is about a big question, as opposed to Cheryl Cole's/D&Vs Beckham's/Prince Harry's latest triumph/outrage/calamity/bliss etc etc.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:28 pm

Galbally;1110031 wrote: Yes, but evidence of geological activity leading to the release of Methane on Mars is also incredibly interesting scientifically. Its impossible to know at present, but its an interesting scientific puzzle to keep working on. Don't forget that we now know there is frozen water on mars, and methane, what we need is more evidence before any serious conclusions can be reached. This is all circumstantial. But methane is a significant find. The region where this methane plume would be important, as would its seasonal variability, and correlative evidence of a geologic or biological origin.

I admit that if it is geological in nature, it doesn't have the same headline quality of LIFE ON MARS! But I do find it encouraging that THE SUN! is leading today with a science-related story that is about a big question, as opposed to Cheryl Cole's/D&Vs Beckham's/Prince Harry's latest triumph/outrage/calamity/bliss etc etc.

I'd like to apologise on the 'Sun's' behalf for the lack of Cheryl Cole's D&V Beckham, Prince Harry and the big brother house news today. This service will resume in tomorrow's edition now we have printed the one half-factual story of the year. Tomorrow we include that other great seller of news....Jade Goody.

Victoria · Post by **Victoria** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 1:48 am

If there was life on Mars I bet they moved out in a hurry when they realised we were looking at them.

we humans must rate as the nieghbours from hell !

SlipStream · Post by **SlipStream** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:48 am

there's more life on MarsBars:yh_rotfl

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:39 am

SlipStream;1110336 wrote: there's more life on MarsBars:yh_rotfl

And the centre's is softer :yh_rotfl

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:26 pm

spot;1110002 wrote: You know, your methane's scarcely life. As molecules go it's fairly fundamental. It has a molecular weight of 16, it has five atoms per molecule, it's the simplest possible hydrocarbon. It would be difficult to imagine an inorganic universe with no methane in it. Methane even appears in astronomical spectra. If they find a bar of soap that's a different matter but methane's not going to have much impact on the life-on-Mars brigade.

It's slightly more official than it was first reported yesterday after being confirmed by NASSA

Mission to seek out alien life on Mars | The Sun |News

Post by **spot** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:44 am

I picked up a copy of the Sun at the barber's yesterday and read it. That's one utterly disgusting collection of dreck. People pay money to have it delivered? The country's going to the dogs.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:15 am

spot;1111037 wrote: I picked up a copy of the Sun at the barber's yesterday and read it. That's one utterly disgusting collection of dreck. People pay money to have it delivered? The country's going to the dogs.

I do read the Sun on line but only as i read all the papers. I actually have the Mail delivered. Have you read the 'Star' Spot? It makes The Sun seem intelligent :yh_rotfl

Post by **spot** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:56 pm

Nobody got round to mentioning that Titan is a moon of Saturn with lakes of methane the size of Lake Ontario. The idea that's of biological origin would be impossible.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:15 pm

spot;1115565 wrote: Nobody got round to mentioning that Titan is a moon of Saturn with lakes of methane the size of Lake Ontario. The idea that's of biological origin would be impossible.

I watched a doc about Titan and it was fascinating. The mock up claimed that Titan rained methane but in large droplets falling very slowley to surface.

Titan is the sixth ellipsoidal moon from Saturn. Frequently described as a planet-like moon, Titan has a diameter roughly 50% larger than Earth's moon and is 80% more massive. It is the second-largest moon in the Solar System, after Jupiter's moon Ganymede, and it is larger by volume than the smallest planet, Mercury, although only half as massive. Titan was the first known moon of Saturn, discovered in 1655 by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens.[8]

Titan is primarily composed of water ice and rocky material. Much as with Venus until the Space Age, the dense, opaque atmosphere prevented understanding of Titan's surface until new information accumulated with the arrival of the Cassini–Huygens mission in 2004, including the discovery of liquid hydrocarbon lakes in the satellite's polar regions. These are the only large, stable bodies of surface liquid known to exist anywhere other than Earth. The surface is geologically young; although mountains and several possible cryovolcanoes have been discovered, it is relatively smooth and few impact craters have been discovered.

The atmosphere of Titan is largely composed of nitrogen and its climate includes methane and ethane clouds. The climate—including wind and rain—creates surface features that are similar to those on Earth, such as sand dunes and shorelines, and, like Earth, is dominated by seasonal weather patterns. With its liquids (both surface and subsurface) and robust nitrogen atmosphere, Titan is viewed as analogous to the early Earth, although at a much lower temperature. The satellite has thus been cited as a possible host for microbial extraterrestrial life or, at least, as a prebiotic environment rich in complex organic chemistry. Researchers have suggested a possible underground liquid ocean might serve as a biotic environment.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:14 pm

And of course, then there is the most mysterious one of them all.

The moon of Jupiter: Europa.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:33 pm

Galbally;1115689 wrote: And of course, then there is the most mysterious one of them all.

The moon of Jupiter: Europa.

Europa??? No, I lassood her :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:36 pm

This one has oxygen.

At just over 3000 km in diameter, Europa is slightly smaller than Earth's Moon and is the sixth-largest moon in the Solar System. Though by a wide margin the least massive of the Galilean satellites, its mass nonetheless significantly exceeds the combined mass of all moons in the Solar System smaller than itself. It is primarily made of silicate rock and likely has an iron core. It has a tenuous atmosphere composed primarily of oxygen. Its surface is composed of ice and is one of the smoothest in the Solar System. This young surface is striated by cracks and streaks, while craters are relatively infrequent. The apparent youth and smoothness of the surface have led to the hypothesis that a water ocean exists beneath it, which could conceivably serve as an abode for extraterrestrial life. Heat energy from tidal flexing ensures that the ocean remains liquid and drives geological activity.

Although only fly-by missions have visited the moon, the intriguing characteristics of Europa have led to several ambitious exploration proposals. The Galileo mission provided the bulk of current data on Europa, while the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, cancelled in 2005, would have targeted Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Conjecture on extraterrestrial life has ensured a high profile for the moon and has led to steady lobbying for future missions

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:30 am

jimbo;1115884 wrote: was this reply on topic

i'm a frayed knot

Stick to topic Jumbo.

Jamaica???? ........... No, she went on her own :wah: