Something growing on Mars

It's not organic, the article explains it (and makes perfectly good sence):

Malea Patera is one of a group of ancient volcanoes that ring the Hellas impact basin.

This HiRISE image was intended to investigate the nature of the volcanic materials at this location. However, the image was taken in early spring for this location in the southern hemisphere and so the ground is covered with bright frost except for some dark splotches found in discrete patches. This is where the sunlight has penetrated the frost and initiated defrosting around discrete spots.

Clearly something is different about the patches where this defrosting has started before any other locations. One possibility is that these are (frost covered) dark sand dunes that heat up more easily than the surrounding terrain. However, we will need to take a new image in the summer time to really know what is happening here.

-And I would STILL like to say that you can't compare macrophotos to images taken miles away. (Edit: 155 miles actually)

[edit on 6/3/2009 by Jubjub]

Here's a section of the RGB image:

Nice picture but they don't look like dust devils to me. Dust devils don't usually form circular and dense blotches. Assuming it is microbiotic life, the lines could be tendrils shooting off the main colony like fungi do. It could be non-biological but you must admit it is strange even for Mars.

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[edit on Fri Mar 6 2009 by Jbird]

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


I don't think those are dust devil tracks either. Dust devils would tend to follow the same direction, that of the wind. More likely that they are patterns in the frost layer similar to these in Antarctica (and elsewhere on Mars).


(From here)


[edit on 3/6/2009 by Phage]

This is very interesting! It really looks like some kind of fungus developing. To me it seems like the recent exploration projects on mars have indeed contaminated the planet. Some organisms can resist to sterilization and space flight in a latent state and reactivate themselves when the environment is favorable. Perhaps some more proof on extraterrestrial origins of the life on earth.

reply to post by Phage


That was a striking image of the Antarctica I must say. But if you look at the image below (from HIRISE) the Antarctica picture looks like the bottom half, but above that something else is happening. Also the circular shapes in Antarctica have a uniform color, and do not have a darker center.

ok, say they are dunes . . .

which they probably are.

but what happens when the wind blows . . ?

exposed dunes go away over time, frost-covered dunes and frost-covered ground remains . . .

over time.

next early spring, the remaining dunes are exposed, only to themselves be blown away . . .

over time.

doesn't the area become uniformly level over time . . ?

would there be any dunes if selective defrosting was taking place?

only if net dune creation equal net dune loss. how much of the year is this area covered in frost? if it's covered in frost longer than exposed, i don't see how dunes could remain.

Well since we've been completely lied to about mars for so many years now, if this is an organic discovery I would not be surprised one bit. Very fascinating but it raises many questions.

I truly wish we could take a stroll on mars for ourselves so we don't have to listen to anyone tell us what it is and what it isn't.

Be in Peace.

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


I presented the Antarctica image to show what the lines in the frost south of the dark areas could be, not what the dark patches are.

The hypothesis that the dark areas are the exposed surface (surrounded by frost which has not yet sublimated/melted) makes sense.

Originally posted by Jubjub
It's not organic, the article explains it (and makes perfectly good sence):

Malea Patera is one of a group of ancient volcanoes that ring the Hellas impact basin.

This HiRISE image was intended to investigate the nature of the volcanic materials at this location. However, the image was taken in early spring for this location in the southern hemisphere and so the ground is covered with bright frost except for some dark splotches found in discrete patches. This is where the sunlight has penetrated the frost and initiated defrosting around discrete spots.

Clearly something is different about the patches where this defrosting has started before any other locations. One possibility is that these are (frost covered) dark sand dunes that heat up more easily than the surrounding terrain. However, we will need to take a new image in the summer time to really know what is happening here.

-And I would STILL like to say that you can't compare macrophotos to images taken miles away. (Edit: 155 miles actually)

[edit on 6/3/2009 by Jubjub]

I think the important thing in this statement is: "However, we will need to take a new image in the summer time to really know what is happening here." They don't really know what's going on, and "dark sand dunes" may be the answer, but if you look at the entire image it seems all the dunes look the same color to me, except for the frosty bits hehe. The summer image will be interesting. Sorry for so posting so many times, I just find this stuff interesting and appreciate the comments made.

reply to post by Majorion


Those are far too large to be trees.The original NASA scaled image posted on the MSSS web site is approximately 2.83 km by 20.46 km in size, making the one large 'bush' near the top left hand corner of the picture approximately one-third of the width, or .94 km across (.6 miles or 3,168 feet).

My guess would be coral growths in a dried up ocean bed. If it proves to be biological at all.

Originally posted by zorgon

But Arthur C Clark (RIP) said...

"I'm 95% convinced that there's no other conclusion..... I fully agree that this is close to incontrovertible evidence of large present or past 'tree-like' organisms on Mars. I do not believe that these will be explained as 'geological features' or illusions. Only closer-in imaging will decide the matter." - Arthur C. Clarke

Since he made the statement in 2001, based on the Global Surveyor images it's not surprising. People were puzzled and he was a great science fiction writer.

However we now have that "closer-in imaging" from MRO. A closer look shows that the "trees" are actually more like branching ravines.
hirise.lpl.arizona.edu...

Of course trees are more fun so why bother using the newer, better data?

[edit on 3/6/2009 by Phage]

Originally posted by SLAYER69
It's a rock!
no wait swamp gas!
No Venus!

Good find.

Of course the debunkers are all out there sharpening their talons.

If it is life it will most likely be some sort of simple algae or fungus.

Ok, I have no idea what that is in the photo. There's no color, no size scale, and the direction of the shadows is hard to determine. Also, I'm not a image expert. But I am not going to jump to the conclusion that it is anything growing. NOTHING I see in this photo conclusively indicates that we are seeing anything alive.

The question is, SLAYER69, why do you automatically jump to the far-reaching conclusion that this is organic? Sounds like you're determined to see what you want to see. That goes for all of you!

Originally posted by SLAYER69

We just need to land something in those areas instead of landing them in the middle of Mars's Antarctica and Mojave deserts.

A good point Slayer!

Why the hell didnt they?

Nasa has a good idea whats up there and they had the opportunity to do just that.

That in itself smacks of disinformation, why spend billions on hardware and landing it in those rocky terrains.

Mind you! we did get some good anomalies out there?

reply to post by Bob Down Under


There were good reasons for the Phoenix and rover LZ selections. Not the least of which was the safety of the machines.

BTW, Phoenix landed at 68N (not exactly the "antarctic"). The image being discussed is from 62S.

Of great interest this week is the region on Mars where the Phoenix spacecraft will land on Sunday, May 25. One of the reasons this specific area of Mars was selected for the landing site is based on the overall lack of rocks that could prove hazardous to the lander. Phoenix will analyze the surface dust as well as dig into an ice-rich layer which is predicted to lie within inches of the Martian surface. The polygon-like shapes on the surface here are most likely the result of temperature oscillations which cause the ice to crack. Here's hoping for a successful landing for Phoenix, with lots of great science returns.

hirise.lpl.arizona.edu...

[edit on 3/6/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel
eww, molds...better bring some bleach when we get there

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by Bob Down Under

 

There were good reasons for the Phoenix and rover LZ selections. Not the least of which was the safety of the machines.

BTW, Phoenix landed at 68N (not exactly the "antarctic"). The image being discussed is from 62S.

Of great interest this week is the region on Mars where the Phoenix spacecraft will land on Sunday, May 25. One of the reasons this specific area of Mars was selected for the landing site is based on the overall lack of rocks that could prove hazardous to the lander. Phoenix will analyze the surface dust as well as dig into an ice-rich layer which is predicted to lie within inches of the Martian surface. The polygon-like shapes on the surface here are most likely the result of temperature oscillations which cause the ice to crack. Here's hoping for a successful landing for Phoenix, with lots of great science returns.

hirise.lpl.arizona.edu...

[edit on 3/6/2009 by Phage]

I agree Phage and I have read this before but I still believe that it could have been set down in the more interesting areas of Mars.

But they just can not please us all

The links you provided Phage just will not load but thanks anyway.



[edit on 6-3-2009 by Bob Down Under]

reply to post by spaznational


LOL, first off don't blame slayer, I said something seemed to be growing. Remember that inorganic things like crystals grow as well, so something growing does not necessarily imply life. To me, this blotching on mars does not seem to be following natural ravines or surface features but rather seems to force it's way into the terrain. This is why I said it looked organic. The best non-biological response I've read so far is some kind of underground thermal vents in those areas, or possibly the permafrost is closer to the surface there. On the other hand a science fiction writer once wrote that we might not recognize life even if we were looking at it. So I don't automatically exclude anything and if the geophysics becomes too absurd, Occam's Razor kicks in and you are left with the simplest explanation.

Originally posted by Kandinsky Nevertheless, have you got an original source?

I am sure I do... I will look

Edit to add...

Here you go...

Interview in Popular Science

www.ultor.org...

The Banyan Trees of Mars
www.popsci.com...


Arthur C. Clarke Stands By His Belief in Life on Mars
www.space.com...





[edit on 6-3-2009 by zorgon]

Originally posted by Gazrok
Looks like some kind of dunes with shadows to me... Look, the shadows are all on the same side....

[What an eccentric performance]Well, with all respect O'Tim,even if there organic the sun still shines in one direction,even on Mars.