Thanks Oldeconomybuyer.
Posted on 10/13/2022 1:41:48 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Ancient microbial life on Mars could have destroyed the planet’s atmosphere through climate change, which ultimately led to its extinction, new research has suggested.
The new theory comes from a climate modeling study that simulated hydrogen-consuming, methane-producing microbes living on Mars roughly 3.7 billion years ago. At the time, atmospheric conditions were similar to those that existed on ancient Earth during the same period. But instead of creating an environment that would help them thrive and evolve, as happened on Earth, Martian microbes may have doomed themselves just as they were getting started, according to the study published Oct. 10 in the journal Nature Astronomy.
The model suggests that the reason life thrived on Earth and was doomed on Mars is because of the gas compositions of the two planets, and their relative distances from the sun. Being farther away from our star than Earth, Mars was more reliant on a potent fog of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen, to maintain hospitable temperatures for life. So as ancient Martian microbes ate hydrogen (a potent greenhouse gas) and produced methane (a significant greenhouse gas on Earth but less potent than hydrogen) they slowly ate into their planet’s heat-trapping blanket, eventually making Mars so cold that it could no longer evolve complex life.
The scientists believe their findings suggest that life may not be innately self-sustaining in every conducive environment it pops up in, and that it can easily wipe itself out by accidentally destroying the foundations for its own existence.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
“First Martian life likely broke the planet with climate change, made themselves extinct”
So the problem according to the climate change zealots is life itself.
If there is no life to so-call interfere with the climate then the cold pristine matter will be left alone pure and pristine.
I think it was meant to be a joke?
The truths we are discusssing about Mars also weigh negatively on the silly “science” reports about humans having human colonies on Mars. That would not be possible unless they spent most of their time (70-80-90%) underground and only went to the surface in space suits. And that is just one set of issues that leaves out sufficient water and oxygen.
There are not enough humans that want to live like that.
Mars will always be science project for humans, never a colony.
I had to do a presentation about Mars, and found it to be a fascinating subject. If Mars had an atmosphere that wasn't corrosive, but not necessarily breathable, there could be some possibilities. With no shield from the Sun, it is like you said, a science experiment at best.
This solar system is, aside from Earth, an inhospitable dry hole. Venus could have had possibilities, temperature extremes aside, if the atmosphere wasn't so violent and toxic.
I think out around the gas giants of Saturn and Jupiter, amoung their moons, we may find some small niches where some fragments of life managed to take hold; but no “creatures” and no civilizations.
Is this the Bee?
Thanks. While I wouldn’t want many threads developing this way, some diversion with Freeper humour is definitely a good thing from time to time.
If it wasn’t in breaking I would have missed out on the fun.
Thanks again.
Thought I was reading Babylon Bee.
Powered by microbial bacteria
Do we have these here, yet?
Well, that drivel about the “research” broke my Bullshitometer!
Fortunately the cost of replacement is small and I’ll be back in action this evening!
Climate change is a man made hoax.
Thanks for exposing the hoax.
Great comments. The left is always trying to associate mars climate to what man could do to earth's climate. Suggesting the same could happen here because of man. You start talking about metal cores and magnetic fields and they become uncomfortable and disconnected.
As far as the "theory" goes, I would point out that hydrogen would be the 1st gas to be blown off by the Solar Wind, while methane would stick around longer. Since Mars is believed to have lost its magnetic field quite early on, the free hydrogen was almost certainly gone before life could arise. MAYBE enough methane could stick around for microbes adapted to eat methane to develop -- in fact, such are found on Earth and consume methane to the tune of 30 million metric tons of methane per year.
https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2022/03/methane-converting-bacteria/#:~:text=Methanotrophic%20bacteria%20consume%2030%20million,greenhouse%20gas%20into%20usable%20fuel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanotroph
At this point the development of a biological cycle is easy (at least compared to getting to the point of microbes in the 1st place.) Problem being that the methane is being blown away (more gradually than hydrogen) too, so the microbes (and the cycle) would soon enough have to adapt yet further...
The scientists believe their findings suggest that life may not be innately self-sustaining in every conducive environment it pops up in, and that it can easily wipe itself out by accidentally destroying the foundations for its own existence.
This is actually very common on Earth in effectively monolithic environments, but then we are not talking about "all life" on a planet. Still... Heavy damage can be done in even fairly complex situations / ecologies. For example, poor farming practices can nearly depopulate humans in a region...
Actually (assuming Mars does still have some ice left), a pretty significant number of humans live worse, now. And that leaves out us tossing nukes around...
>>This has to be one of the dumbest premises I’ve ever encountered.<<
Doesn’t somebody have to show there are microbes on Mars FIRST...?
Oh good God it never ends, we will destroy ourselves!!!
OK kiddies let’s look at the composition of earths atmosphere...
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.04% CO2
Nitrogen and CO2 are necessary for plant life
If the level of CO2 ever reaches 0.02% plant life starts dying off and guess what goes next? WE DO!
Now, which of these gases are dangerously low?
78% nitrogen - OK
21% oxygen - OK
0.04% CO2 - BZZZZT! DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON!
And what do liberals focus on? Reducing CO2
“Actually (assuming Mars does still have some ice left), a pretty significant number of humans live worse, now. “
No true. Winter temps at Mars’ poles is about -229 f. And the polar ice? Its mostly carbon dioxide, not water. The poorest human do not live at those temps and even if they are “cold” do not have frozen CO2 versus frozen water. And none of that changes the fact that they still can’t live openly on the surface. Sorry. The poor will remain poor and not “immigrate” to those Martian conditions.
I’m talking about living underground. You seem to think that’s impossible. Ever been to the large venues in Vegas with simulated sky, etc?
Putting Descartes before the horse?
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