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Curiosity rover's methane result challenges life theory
BBC ^ | 19 September 2013 Last updated at 14:01 ET e | Jonathan Amos

Posted on 09/19/2013 1:34:05 PM PDT by BenLurkin

The Curiosity rover's failure to detect methane on Mars is a blow to theories that the planet may still host some types of life, say mission scientists.

Telescopes and satellites have reported seeing small but significant volumes of the gas, but the six-wheeled robot can pick up no such trace.

On Earth, 95% of atmospheric methane is produced by microbial organisms.

Researchers have hung on to the hope that the molecule's signature at Mars might also indicate a life presence.

The inability of Curiosity's sophisticated instrumentation to make this detection is likely now to dent this optimism.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: mars; methane

1 posted on 09/19/2013 1:34:05 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe its been so long that even microbial life has vanished


2 posted on 09/19/2013 1:35:55 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: BenLurkin

Mars is more sterile than an operating room.


3 posted on 09/19/2013 1:36:40 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (From time to time the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots.)
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To: BenLurkin

Too bad. Keep looking.


4 posted on 09/19/2013 1:37:09 PM PDT by I want the USA back
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe whoever lives there doesn’t fart...


5 posted on 09/19/2013 1:42:16 PM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos...)
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe Martians don’t take dumps??


6 posted on 09/19/2013 1:43:57 PM PDT by Noob1999 (Loose Lips, Sink Ships)
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To: GeronL

Or maybe there was never any life in the first place.


7 posted on 09/19/2013 1:47:20 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe the use Fabreze


8 posted on 09/19/2013 2:33:30 PM PDT by Cyman
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NASA says there is NO life on Mars: Curiosity rover hasn’t discovered any clues…
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3069715/posts


9 posted on 09/21/2013 10:54:59 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (It's no coincidence that some "conservatives" echo the hard left.)
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To: BenLurkin; KevinDavis; annie laurie; Knitting A Conundrum; Viking2002; Ernest_at_the_Beach; ...

Thanks BenLurkin.
 
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10 posted on 09/21/2013 10:55:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (It's no coincidence that some "conservatives" echo the hard left.)
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To: BenLurkin

But the scientists responsible for project funding assured us there was atmospheric methane on Mars?


11 posted on 09/22/2013 10:51:11 AM PDT by fso301
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To: BenLurkin

Reminds me of the Steve Martin bit about the “fart zone layer”. Everyone’s farts go to the fart zone which is why we need to protect the ozone layer. Looks like Mars has no fart zone.


12 posted on 09/22/2013 12:20:06 PM PDT by LiberConservative (I took the red pill)
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