Posted on 11/26/2009 12:19:31 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
New evidence has made it more likely that remnants of Martian microbes were transported to Earth in a meteorite, it was revealed today.
A study by scientists from the American space agency Nasa has found chemical signatures in the rock strongly associated with life.
The discovery strengthens the case for believing that worm-like structures in the meteorite are 'microfossils' of ancient Martian bugs.
Sceptics have pointed out that similar-shaped structures could be formed from non-biological processes.
Another unanswered question is whether the microfossils were the result of contamination by Earthly bacteria. This was originally ruled out by Nasa but has raised doubts in the minds of other experts.
The meteorite, catalogued as Allen Hills (ALH) 84001, crashed onto the frozen wastes of Antarctica 13,000 years ago and was recovered in 1984.
Scientists believe the rock was blasted off the surface of Mars by an asteroid or comet, reaching Earth after floating through space for around 16 million years.
It would have formed part of the planet's crust at a time billions of years ago when many experts believe water flowed on the surface of Mars, and conditions were suitable for life.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I still have trouble with this martian meteor with life on it theory. It’s just hard for me to see how a meteor leaves a planet. I guess that it’s possible (maybe spit out of a volcano or hit by an inbound asteroid), but still tough to believe. And then we find it, and identify it as a chip off of Mars with fossil evidence. Hmmm? If people would say that to get funding, just think of how much work they’d get if they started making stuff up about climate change.
This calls for bilking the taxpayers for more funding!
How much can be taxed from the earners in society to study such a revelation?
Congress has fallen for so many of their scams that they are now bold enough to say something even this rediculous if they think it will get them a grant from the taxpayers.
Last time the thing was proved to be a naturally occurring mineral formation. It is real convenient for this rock to crop up every few years when funding is needed.
Bob, the impact of an asteroid into the martian surface would have been substantial, ejecting material off the martian surface into space.
See the moon? It is believed by most scientist and astronomers today that a comet or large asteroid had a cataclysmic impact with earth, and that material eventually formed our moon.
Oddly enough, there is little doubt some of that material eventually made it's way to the martian surface.
This story was debunked as I understand some ten years ago.
I tend to believe there is other life in the universe, rather it is rare or common i don’t know.....but i wish scientist would have conclusive proof before they make any bold statements.
What happens is it creates a TREMENDOUS shock wave that travels down into the planet at the point of impact, then reverses itself to travel back out in the direction the impactor came. As a result, the planet basically pukes, sending much of the asteroid and the planet itself straight up and out. If the impact is extreme enough, the ejecta can actually achieve escape velocity, and it pointed in the right direction, arrive on earth, perhaps millions of years later.
*ping*
This sort of defies the odds.
First, you’ve got to have some really hefty force to propel said rock from the gravitational pull of Mars. That would be a mighty strong volcano or impact, pushing the rock thousands of MPH straight up.
Second, you’ve got to be really accurate to have that rock travel millions of miles to the earth, which from Mars is viewed as a tiny dot in the vastness of space.
The more I observe scientists, they seem to be a credulous lot. Like Kindergarteners being trained to hold hands in a big line as they are led to the lunch room.
Fish eggs
Those Martian bugs are tough, they come back to life every few years when “discovered” again. It’s a cycle, “discover, debunk, discover, debunk”. It’s the Discover cycle. again.
Heeee Heeeeee! Your post is so right on!
Why not a planet or moon from our galaxy or another. There must be similar mineral compositions throughout the universe. There is no mars tag on this rock. It's all pure speculation. They generate questions which generates proposals for more automated projects. We have little more to learn from these about mars, and without a manned program, they are waisting our money and our time.
Second, you’ve got to be really accurate to have that rock travel millions of miles to the earth, which from Mars is viewed as a tiny dot in the vastness of space.
Also, it's likely that quite a lot of heat would be generated by this process. Enough heat to completely burn away any evidence of life, even if the rock was crawling with organisms before its ejection.
If the rock has been sitting in the Antarctic for thousands of years, how could ANY traces of chemicals consistent with life be attributed to a Martian origin?
...and how is it they know this came from Mars 13,000 years ago? Probably just more “religious science.”
Where do you get this scientists “believe”. Don’t you know that we aren’t supposed to believe in things nowadays. To believe smacks of religion and we can’t have that now can we?
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