NASA to announce today ,Mars methane discovery hints at presence of life on Mars 15/01/09 , page 1

Methane found on Mars 15/01/09 www.thesun.co.uk... .This will be the headline in tomorrow's Sun newspaper (as far as I know).Yes I know its the Sun .

ALIEN microbes living just below the Martian soil are responsible for a haze of methane around the Red Planet, Nasa scientists believe.

The gas, belched in vast quantities in our world by cows, was detected by orbiting spacecraft and from Earth using giant telescopes.

Nasa are today expected to confirm its presence during a briefing at their Washington HQ.

And the find is seen as exciting new evidence that Martian microbes are still alive today.

Some scientists reckon methane is also produced by volcanic processes. But there are NO known active volcanoes on Mars.

Furthermore, Nasa has found the gas in the same regions as clouds of water vapour, the vital “drink” needed to support life.

Experts speculate that the methane is being emitted as a waste product by organisms called methanogens living in water beneath underground ice.

And they would have to be alive today because the methane would otherwise have been lost from the Martian atmosphere.

P.S And now the Telegraph (see post a few below) www.telegraph.co.uk...



[edit on 15-1-2009 by tarifa37]

reply to post by tarifa37

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Ok here it is. www.thesun.co.uk...

[edit on 14-1-2009 by tarifa37]

Methane was detected by the Mars Express (launched by the ESA) in 2004. Speculation about its origin has been going on since then.

www.space.com...

www.space.com...


[edit on 1/14/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by Phage

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There definitely has been speculation about the source of this gas. It is my understanding that the methane could have been released by volcanic activity or microbial life. The detection of methane in the atmosphere may have been known for sometime however new evidence may have ruled out the latter. The old line, extraordinary claims requires extraordinary evidence comes to mind.

Either way we will know all the facts tomorrow; if the Sun is to believed, NASA is holding a press conference.

Today’s conference will be broadcast live online by NASA TV (www.nasa.gov/ntv ) at 7pm.

Kelvin Mckenzie did mention that they obtained this information exclusively. It may be possible other media outlets are holding off on this story until all the facts are known.

Methane released by volcanoes would be the first place to look but as yet no active volcanoe's have been detected on Mars.

The Methane has a short half life in the atmosphere so for it to be there means its being constantly replenished by another 'source' sorry to say (skeptics) if it aint Volcanoe's theres not many options left. Looks like they will be forced to admit its biology probably under the surface thats regenerating the supply.]

When they announce this, the odds of 'life' being out there in vast quantities around the universe just skyrocketed dramatically & it will strike a HUGE blow to the skeptics, I expect them all to melt away much like the ancient martian microbes. Cant wait for this.

Originally posted by bloodsearch
reply to post by Phage

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There definitely has been speculation about the source of this gas. It is my understanding that the methane could have been released by volcanic activity or microbial life. The detection of methane in the atmosphere may have been known for sometime however new evidence may have ruled out the latter. The old line, extraordinary claims requires extraordinary evidence comes to mind.

Either way we will know all the facts tomorrow; if the Sun is to believed, NASA is holding a press conference.

Today’s conference will be broadcast live online by NASA TV (www.nasa.gov/ntv ) at 7pm.

Kelvin Mckenzie did mention that they obtained this information exclusively. It may be possible other media outlets are holding off on this story until all the facts are known.

[edit on 14-1-2009 by atsbeliever]

[edit on 14-1-2009 by atsbeliever]

I can't believe I have to bump this thread. I made another one with the LIFE ON MARS to be announced - the Sun.
LIFE ON MARS to be announced - the Sun.

I searched using the ATS box and didn't see anything about NASA about to announce this. Anyway this is exciting if they are going to make it official.

Ok it has now appeared in a far more respected newspaper "The Telegraph"( although credit where credit is due the Sun did get the scoop.).

www.telegraph.co.uk...

Mars methane discovery hints at presence of life
Nasa scientists have detected "plumes" of methane on Mars, possibly indicating organic activity on the Red Planet.

Large quantities of the gas - which on Earth is mostly produced by living things - were recorded by three huge telescopes during a seven year study.

The level of activity was so great that at times it equalled the amount of the gas released at some of the most methane-rich locations on Earth.

Scientists say that further investigation is necessary to determine whether the gas - spotted in 2003 - was created by the biological processes of creatures such as microbes, or from volcanic activity.

"Living systems produce more than 90 per cent of Earth's atmospheric methane; the balance is of geochemical origin. On Mars, methane could be a signature of either," Nasa said in a statement.

Europe's Mars Express probe picked up possible evidence of methane on Mars in 2004, but Nasa's latest discovery has been heralded as the strongest indicator yet that the planet is able to support simple organisms.

The methane, which was detected alongside water vapour, could have been a waste product from organisms called methanogens living in water beneath underground ice, experts believe.

Professor Colin Pillinger, whose Beagle 2 craft crashed on Mars in 2003 while on a mission to seek signs of life, said the discovery could prove important.

"Methane is a product of biology. For methane to be in Mars' atmosphere, there has to be a replenishable source," he told The Sun.

"The most obvious source of methane is organisms. So if you find methane in an atmosphere, you can suspect there is life.

"It's not proof, but it makes it worth a much closer look."

Nasa will announce the full results of the study at a briefing in Washington today.

reply to post by tarifa37

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A comment left on the Suns web page by " Brightmeadows" has speculated that..

Maybe the gas came from Uranus

Joking aside this is very interesting and I for one look forward to the NASA press meeting later today.

[edit on 15-1-2009 by tarifa37]

Just found this on Youtube.



[edit on 15-1-2009 by tarifa37]

There are vast quantities of methane on Saturn's moon Titan.

NASA have already said that Titan's Methane Not Produced by Life so nothing to see here...move along, move along...

Here is the Nasa page that has details of the NASA Science Update to Discuss Mars Atmosphere Activity .
www.nasa.gov...

[edit on 15-1-2009 by tarifa37]

Check this video out regarding the findings going to be released today.Well worth a look very interesting.




[edit on 15-1-2009 by tarifa37]

uh BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Wrong. They have not ruled out some kind of volcanism on Titan, in fact they think there are 'ice' volcanoe's on that moon which may be the source.

On Mars there ARE no active volcanoes' so where do you think the Methane is coming from huh?

Oh boy your little world is about to collapse around your ankles..

Originally posted by WatchNLearn
There are vast quantities of methane on Saturn's moon Titan.

NASA have already said that Titan's Methane Not Produced by Life so nothing to see here...move along, move along...

[edit on 15-1-2009 by atsbeliever]

[edit on 15-1-2009 by atsbeliever]

reply to post by atsbeliever

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Here's a possibility:

A radiolytic source of hydrogen (H2), when biologically or abiologically reacted with dissolved CO2 in pore water, could form subsurface methane and explain the presence of trace amounts of this gas on Mars today. Radiolytic hydrogen forms when radiation from the decay of naturally occurring radioactive elements strikes water molecules, turning them into hydrogen and oxygen.

www.spaceref.com...
But what makes you thing anything is going to collapse. If life is found on Mars it will be wonderful news. I'll be stoked.

[edit on 1/15/2009 by Phage]

The skeptics anti-belief system in this case. He was so quick to dismiss this without even bothering to read up on it, like a lot of people here from their natural bias to poo-poo anything that would lead to the possibility of other 'life' out there.
Sure its not 100% confirmed its life but pretty damn close given the options left on the table. And so the implications are HUGE. Of course drakes equation about life out there was always just a theory written on a chalk board, but actually finding living organisms outside our world goes a long way to opening the doors that the universe must be TEEMING with life in different stages of evolution, some way ahead of us, some way behind us but nevertheless its alien life.
Just like the naysayers of past who would scorn at someone saying the world is flat, this is a similar new epoch unfolding where the rest of humanitys mind catches up with people who already knew & believed we were not alone..suddenly its not so far fetched to believe they have been here now, given the odds.

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by atsbeliever

---

Here's a possibility:

A radiolytic source of hydrogen (H2), when biologically or abiologically reacted with dissolved CO2 in pore water, could form subsurface methane and explain the presence of trace amounts of this gas on Mars today. Radiolytic hydrogen forms when radiation from the decay of naturally occurring radioactive elements strikes water molecules, turning them into hydrogen and oxygen.

www.spaceref.com...
But what makes you thing anything is going to collapse. If life is found on Mars it will be wonderful news. I'll be stoked.

[edit on 1/15/2009 by Phage]

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