Wanted to get involved in this thread some weeks ago and only noticed it's growth a day ago.
Originally posted by Xtal_Phusion
If you like, I can list the biochemical reasons why this is simply not possible (since it is my job to know!) but I suspect you'd rather play in the
land of make-believe than learn a little science.
I suppose such a list can be made but then scientist always have 'lists' of reasons why things can not be possible right up until they all admit
that they always knew it to be true and that they never disagreed or had 'such stupid lists'.
The best big thing insearching for life on Mars is Lab-on-a-chip technology to search for biomarkers (indicators of life that still has NOT
been found there yet!).
Based on the design and mission specifications we found life on Mars back in 1976 so your either not telling the truth or just lying.
I don't think 6-figure grants and years of development would have been spent on this technology if we had PICTURES of multicellular
organisms! Yeesh!
They regularly cancel DOD programs that billions ( 10 figures if i recall) had been spent on and if you can find me evidence that the volume of money
wasted had much to do with the effectiveness or usefulness of the research we can talk some more. Since the rover time we have had dozens of pictures
of fossils of multi cellular life.
Why don't we all start here: What to lichens and plants release into the atmosphere that is NOT present in the Martian atmosphere? 
Since i am no biochemist ( or someone who wants to pretend to be one) i can only post information on what is being released..
"I stand before you and tell you, quite honestly, I'm shocked by these results," said Michael Mumma, an astrobiologist at NASA's Goddard
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Mumma and colleagues discovered unusually high levels of methane at two places in Mars' atmosphere: above the Hellas Basin, a giant impact scar in
Mars' southern hemisphere, and Valles Marineris, the great canyon system near the Martian equator.
Methane is a gas that, on Earth, is produced naturally by plants and animals, such as in wetlands and in the stomachs of cows. On Mars, methane is
much rarer. It isn't produced in the atmosphere and likely would be destroyed there by chemical reactions within a few hundred years.
So finding methane in the atmosphere suggests that something on Mars' surface is producing it, Mumma said. The question is whether that something is
alive.
seattletimes.nwsource.com...
BOULDER, Colorado – Evidence for intense local enhancements in methane on Mars has been bolstered by ground-based observations. The methane, as
well as water on Mars, was detected using state-of-the-art infrared spectrometers stationed atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii and in Cerro Pachón, Chile.
Scientific teams around the globe are on the trail of methane seeping out of Mars. And for good reason: The methane could be the result of biological
processes. It could also be an "abiotic" geochemical process, however, or the result of volcanic or hydrothermal activity on the red planet.
Many types of microbes here on Earth produce a signature of methane. Indeed, the tiny fraction of atmospheric carbon found as methane on our planet is
churned out almost entirely biologically with only a very small contribution from abiotic processes, scientists sa
www.space.com...
Furthermore, he says winds should spread water vapour through the atmosphere too quickly for it to be concentrated in certain spots. "It would
take a tremendous source of water in the surface to pump water into the atmosphere faster than it would be redistributed," he says.
Krasnopolsky, standing by his methane detection, says winds should spread the trace amounts of methane around too. He believes the methane he detected
is produced by bacteria that live in "oases" where liquid water can exist - however briefly - on the Martian surface, due to heating by sunlight or
by a hydrothermal source.
He argues that a non-biological source of methane is unlikely because crater-counting methods suggest no surface lava on Mars is younger than 10
million years old.
But he will not rule out the possibility that underground bubbles of methane from ancient volcanism might somehow be brought to the surface to
replenish the atmosphere.
www.newscientist.com...
And then there are the even stranger finds that really defy reasonable alternative explanations...
Formisano showed evidence of the presence of formaldehyde in the atmosphere. Formaldehyde is a breakdown product of methane, which was already
known to be present in the Martian atmosphere, so in itself its presence is not so surprising. But Formisano measured formaldehyde at 130 parts per
billion.
To astrobiologists it was an incredible claim. It means huge amounts of methane must be produced on Mars. (While methane lasts for hundreds of years
in the atmosphere, formaldehyde lasts for only 7.5 hours.) "It requires that 2.5 million tons of methane are produced a year," said Formisano.
"There are three possible scenarios to explain the quantities: chemistry at the surface, caused by solar radiation; chemistry deep in the planet,
caused by geothermal or hydrothermal activity; or life," he added.
wired.com...
And then on the surface itself:
Mars Once Green? - Carole Stoker and Pascal Ashwanden, both researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center in California, have announced that they
have found evidence suggesting that chlorophyl exists on the surface of Mars. Finding chlorophyl, the material that plants and algae use to convert
sunlight into food, would be strong evidence that life one existed on the planet. Chlorophyl is what gives plants their characteristic green color.
The discovery came to light when the scientists reexamined data from a 1997 mission to Mars. The results of their study was presented at the Second
Astrobiology Science Conference last month.
www.unmuseum.org...
A detailed analysis of the images of the landing site now reveals two areas close to Pathfinder that have the spectral signature of
chlorophyll.
According to experts it might be highly significant - or could be just a patch of coloured soil.
Specifically, the program looked for the spectral signature associated with red light absorption by chlorophyll.
Previous searches for evidence of chlorophyll in Pathfinder's pictures were carried out shortly after it landed.
Some tentative indications were seen but they were later dismissed as "possible image misregistration".
news.bbc.co.uk...
So they have plenty to work from and should have been able to reach the logical and obvious conclusion to all of it.
Originally posted by Xtal_Phusion
Too little energy is generated through anoxygenic photosynthesis. By default, this leaves us MICROORGANISMS! Chlorobium, otherwise known as green
sulfur bacterium would be a good example. Most likely, however chemical constraints (pressure, temp, desiccation, etc.) would require reliance on a
type of metabolism called chemoautotrophy.
But should we trust them when they knowingly supply false data relating to the average surface/atmospheric pressure on Mars, the positive tests for
life in 1976, their alternation of the colour of the martian sky from the rovers position, hiding of the fossil evidence and their continued tampering
related to the Cydonia region ? Why do we have pictures of flowing water at Martian poles for instance and what does that allow in terms of life?
www.msss.com...
www.msss.com...
www.msss.com...
On Earth, microbes called extremophiles are clustered in a domain of life called Archaea (not the same as regular bacteria or "Eubacteria").
It is generally accepted that these are among the most ancient forms of cellular life on Earth today. Metabolic processes in this group can be very
bizarre. Methanogens generate methane gas from simple hydrocarbons (i.e., methanol, ethanol), others live at very high/low pH, others still live at
hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor where temperatures reach 130C or more. The most unusual is a polyextremophile called Deinococcus radiodurans.
This bug surivived exposure to space outside the shuttle in orbit, makes a habit out of living in cooling tanks with spent rods at nuclear power
plants and contains multiple copies of genes on circular DNA that stacks like a lifesaver to facilitate repair of broken fragments!
All true as far as i know and the reason why we should not disregard life on Mars even if one chose to believe the official science data relating to
temp, pressure and the Composition the Martian atmosphere.
This is true science and even more incredible than most realize! If you want to talk about life on Mars, how about discussing bugs that
metabolize hydrogen and live deep beneath the Martian soil?
All true but one wonders why 'we the people' are not allowed to see all the data and why some in the science community will then use that power to
make claims that do not represent what they know.
nice lichens... thats the picture that has the Madonna in the center 
