Life on Mars

reply to post by bvproductions


It's not the poiint of people 'reporting' it, The Sun sensationalised it by putting "LIFE ON MARS" bang on the front page, this isn't so, and NASA have made no announcments about life, what they did do was re-evaluate data taken in 2003, thats all. To find life, another rover will probably be needed, so you talking a good few years before any 'life' is confirmed.

Originally posted by Majorion
...
When people like John Lear say that NASA are hiding something or outright lying to us, I have to say..I'm inclined to believe such; far more than the contrary.

Lets keep the scientific discussion going, thankfully so far this thread hasn't swayed too much into the J.L. territory; lets keep it that way.

reply to post by Smugallo


Not only did they sensationalise it they managed to give it no credibility whatsoever.

I kept quite until now because I thought someone else would pick up on it but the version of the breaking story I read was online.

I quote, "Britain’s top space expert Nick Pope last night hailed the new evidence of life as “the most important discovery of all time”."

Top space expert? With respect to Mr. Pope's credentials as a space expert he is a mere ex-MOD desk-monkey who has turned his professional hand to extra-terrestrial research. He might know a thing or two about UFO reports but hardly an expert when it comes to this sort of thing.

I suspect the hack at The Sun knows this too and the fact Prof. Colin Pillinger is also quoted does nothing to distract those in the know that frankly the paper is far from interested in this other than making a couple of bob through the above mentioned sensationalism.

As a poster on The Sun web-page suggests, "Maybe the gas came from Uranus."

Article link.

Over ten years ago, I had a conversation with a friend of mine about the possibilities of alien life within our Solar System.

(I use the term alien losely here, if we do discover life on another planet within our Solar System then we will need to redefine the term alien.)

I mentioned to him that it is possible that such life may already have been discovered, but because of the Brookings Institute findings, the facts may be withheld.

My friend made the point that any secret discovery will have to be disclosed at some point. Most probably to prevent the discoveries being rediscovered and claimed by the space programs of other countries. So, he asked me how would the US Government go about releasing the facts regarding alien lifeforms.

I had thought about this before and I came to the conslusion that any release of information would be painfully slow.

First would come the announcement of the possiblity of microbial life, a very long time ago, far away, and extinct. (This was done in 1996)

Then years later would come the possibility of microbial life, not so long ago, far away, and extinct.

Then that same lifeform, far away, and not extinct. (This is about where we are as of yesterday.)

Then the announcement of a complex lifeform (like the crinoids), a very long time ago, far away, and extinct.

Then the announcement of a complex lifeform, not long ago, far away, and extinct.

Then oops, it's not extinct.

Then they might announce the existance of an extinct large lifeform, then an extinct intelligent lifeform, then an extinct civilization.

Finally, the announcement would come of an intelligent lifeform, here and now.

This seems to be the pattern that NASA is following. At the current rate of disclosure, I would expect that full disclosure will take over 50 years.

Originally posted by Anonymous ATS
as i browse the check out stand i notice several that mention that obama is George bush's hypnotized half-brother.

He is indeed.

Originally posted by Tuning Spork
Hmm. The article says that NASA scientists "believe" that the methane they've detected comes from microbes just below the Martian surface. The article also states that the only other possible source of the methane would be volcanic activity, but that there are no known active volcanos on Mars.

What about unknown ones?

Originally posted by infinite

Methane was detected in the Martian atmosphere five years ago; scientists have found it is more abundant over particular parts of the planet.

BBC

If it is a ongoing process, with no signs of geological or active earthquakes, we will have to conclude biological life.

Or it might just be that NASA has set up an office on Mars, hence all the gas.

reply to post by lunarminer



My partner and I have a similar view. Right now we are being spoon fed our larger place in the Galaxy/Universe/Mulitverse. I think the Human race is long overdue for another shift in its fundamental thinking. We are not alone and unless we want to survive we better grow up fast. My instincts tell me that our behavior as a species has attracted the wrong kind of attention...

Anyway back to the methane, I certainly hope this get some serious followup because regardless of its source it changes our understanding of Mars and the forces at work there today.

Originally posted by infinite

Methane was detected in the Martian atmosphere five years ago; scientists have found it is more abundant over particular parts of the planet.

BBC

If it is a ongoing process, with no signs of geological or active earthquakes, we will have to conclude biological life.

It is not an ongoing process. It is seasonal.

Earthquakes (marsquakes) are not required. There are proposed geological processes which can account for it just as there are biological processes that can account for it. There is no evidence to completely disallow either geologic or biologic origins of the methane.

There is insufficient evidence to conclude either a biological or geologic origin for the methane.

[edit on 1/16/2009 by Phage]

Originally posted by godless
Until it is verified I'm afraid I will remain skeptical that life exists on Mars or anywhere else.

You are indeed a true sceptic. I am on the other hand quite confident about the existence of life. Not necessarily on Mars, but at least on Earth.

reply to post by lunarminer


Star for you lunarminer * Good post!

I think you summed it up quite well, 50 years until real disclosure as long as NASA have their way. The pattern you described is exactly how they're going about this ordeal.

Originally posted by lunarminer
(I use the term alien losely here, if we do discover life on another planet within our Solar System then we will need to redefine the term alien.)

Why? The American immigration service has already done it. According to them, the term alien means anybody who is not an American citizen.

Just got home from work and of course this thread caught my eye.
went immediatley to the nasa site and got this www.nasa.gov...
Sorry if I'm late to the dance, but The sun story checks out.

reply to post by lunarminer


It depends on the geo-political and religious structures on Earth. NASA is very aware any potential discovery of life will be, obviously, an event that will change the very fabric of our planet.

Political and religious institutions would have to be altered if sophisticated and intelligent life was discovered.

reply to post by RFBurns


Okay, I see what you're saying. Good point, I suppose. However, what power would Congress have to pull it back in if it can't be approached through Executive Order? It seems to me that each are the same once the law is signed. Eh, nevermind, it is slightly off topic.

Back to the current stuff. As I said before, if NASA wants to continue to be ellusive on the subjects, do away with them. It is immoral to take funding from the public and not let the public know what you are finding with their money.
Hell, those rovers have been there for five years now. Constantly measuring things like the temperature. I would HOPE that after that long, they would know more about something as simple as an estimated internal temperature of the planet.
Even all of that misses the point a bit, I'd think. It would seem to me once you have any sort of carbonate and h2o, you would have what is necessary for life. I mean, I don't care if the subterranean water IS ice, microbial life exists deep within ice here on Earth all over the place.

reply to post by Novastar824


I want the Life on Mars to have really cool flying saucers!
Who cares about microbes!

reply to post by Eurisko2012


"Who cares about microbes!"

I do. A lot of others do, as well. In fact, I was speaking to a friend of mine just today about this. He was a geology major in college and put his education to use as a consultant, of sorts, for a large excavation company here in my area.

His exact words were that either way, this is earth-shattering news.
I mean, we all pretty much know that life exists all over the place, and probably now suspect it does on Mars as well. But the truly "earth-shattering" aspect of this is what this bit of info will do to the psyche of the planet. People will have to question (and remember these are hard-liner people who believe absolutely everything their pastors and their elected officials (republicans here in america) tell them) "well, if life exists on Mars, could it not also exist everywhere else? Maybe those "UFO buffs" aren't as crazy as I thought."

Oh, and by the way folks.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's thoughts are returning to the supposed "Project Blue Beam" in regards to this stuff...

I remember reading something in one of the topics regarding here. It basically said that this very thing would happen as one of the precussors to the event.

1) Microbial life would be found nearby.
2) THEN A SUDDEN INCREASE, ON A DRAMATIC SCALE, OF UFO ACTIVITY
3) Then the admission that ET life exists.
4) Then "invasion."

Don't let them fool you.

I realize that they haven't gone so far as to say that microbial life exists yet. So, in reality, condition number one hasn't even been met yet, but it is very close.
Not that I buy into all of that, but I keep it in mind, just in case.

Lets see if there is an increase in UFO activity? I'll start keeping track, the best I can, from this day forward.

You know, just in case.

[edit on 16-1-2009 by Jay-in-AR]

Eh, but my above reasoning brings me back to something I have noticed before in relation to UFO activity. That being, there seems to be a sudden increase in involvement around our major developments. (see ufo activity after first nuclear tests)

I would think that if a race were monitoring us, they would be very interested in our discovery, in an official capacity, of life elsewhere in the universe... This would probably bring to bear an increase in activity in and of itself. As they would then move on to monitor the "mood" of the planet.

SO.... Would this NECESSARILY be a precurssor to an event that is in the works of our officials?
Only if they are being guided by the same people that are monitoring us. Which means, logically, that the event wouldn't be orchestrated by us. Nay, by them.
Afterall, the other option would mean that we meager humans have monitored THEM and come up with a plan to counteract THEIR plans... Just doesn't jive with me. We aren't smart enough.... Unless they are hiding A LOT!

Eh, I suppose that this post would probably be referenced in Webster's definition of rambling.
Either way, look for an increase in UFO activity. But remember, nothing is as it seems.

Originally posted by Jay-in-AR
Okay, I see what you're saying. Good point, I suppose. However, what power would Congress have to pull it back in if it can't be approached through Executive Order? It seems to me that each are the same once the law is signed. Eh, nevermind, it is slightly off topic.

Quck reply..The process would bring the isolation into the spotlight and begin the constitutional process to bring it back into congressional oversight. Having a congressional hearing about it can make the fact of the isolation of the black operations known, that alone would raise quite a few eyebrows, and a few votes within congress to do something about it, then opens the door for the Executive Order to have power to request the info. Back to topic.

Originally posted by Jay-in-AR
Back to the current stuff. As I said before, if NASA wants to continue to be ellusive on the subjects, do away with them. It is immoral to take funding from the public and not let the public know what you are finding with their money.
Hell, those rovers have been there for five years now. Constantly measuring things like the temperature. I would HOPE that after that long, they would know more about something as simple as an estimated internal temperature of the planet.
Even all of that misses the point a bit, I'd think. It would seem to me once you have any sort of carbonate and h2o, you would have what is necessary for life. I mean, I don't care if the subterranean water IS ice, microbial life exists deep within ice here on Earth all over the place.

That was my point in a couple pages back. They got enough data to at the very least conclude that life is up there, verifying it is a whole nother story. However, I feel that even with verification, there will still be some that will not accept it, simply because it falls outside of their comfort zone to know that we are not alone.

All those probes, rovers, orbiters, taking all those pictures, making all those sensor readings with a plethoria of instruments, over several years worth of data, and NASA says "more data is needed"???

NASA has been saying that since 76. Back then the saying was plausible and believable. But today in 2009 with years of accumilated data from several different missions...I dont buy it.



Cheers!!!!