Scientists have discovered a group of microbes that might be able to flourish on Mars. The critters, archaea to be precise, were found on the rocky slope of a volcano in an inhospitable region of South America and they’re genetically distinct from most other known microbes: [Read more…]
Mars is a long ways away, and this is probably premature to say the least, but groups willing to colonise the Red Planet are already forming, some more credible than others: [Read more…]
Mars rover Opportunity captures its own shadow on the rim of Endeavour Crater. Image credit NASA/JPL
I’m building up a smorgasborg of Martian images and news articles below …
The Martian countryside in the Utopian Plain as seen by Viking. New analysis of the Viking data suggests microbes may be living just beneath the surface. Image 1976 NASA/JPL
Because of recently announced budget targets and a potentially exciting new look at old data, NASA is looking for low cost ways to continue exploring Mars and other parts of the solar system. It’s a shame for our nation and species they have to think this way, but that’s the real world in all its raw glory: [Read more…]
Carl Sagan standing next to a model of the Viking Lander. Click image for background on Viking.
The question of whether there is life on other planets took a fresh turn this week as new analysis of old data collected by the Viking Landers in 1976 found signs of extant microbes on Mars. Back in the day one test yielded promising results, but another experiment found no organic compounds consistent with life, so mission scientists assumed the former was a simple oxidizing reaction and not a biological one. That’s where the new analysis comes in: [Read more…]
Yesterday’s WH budget proposal for NASA, with deep cuts to future planetary science to the whopping tune of $300 million , didn’t exactly come as a shock. That’s the news reporters have been hearing and writing about for weeks. But if those changes are implemented it comes at a price. In this case, the price could be postponing the single greatest scientific discovery ever made. [Read more…]