I am a great fan of science-fiction and have to admit to a certain amount of excitement this week. After years of uncertainty; scientists have announced that there could well be life on Mars. It turns out that methane is being produced on the planet and this can only come from one of two sources; the gas could be produced either by geological activity or by life.
Some of the NASA Scientists are speculating that microbes could have survived for millions of years under the Martian permafrost layer in deep canyons of liquid below the ice. NASA will be launching another "Rover" mission in 2011 which will carry instruments that have the potential to distinguish between methane that is produced by geochemical means and that which is of biological origin.
Am I the only one who thinks it is ironic that, after all the different ways science-fiction stories had us discovering life on Mars, we should find it from traces of it farting?
Arthur C Clarke is surely turning in his grave!
Friday 16 January 2009
Life On Mars?
Posted by Melvin Udall at 00:51
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2 comments:
I'm also a huge fan of science-fiction, have been since I saw "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 at the age of 9.
My favorite sci-fi author is Ray Bradbury. His stories really run the gamut and make you think.
I think ACC would have a good laugh from it.
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