Did a Lake on Mars Once Contain Life? (upi.com) 17
UPI reports:
New research published Friday offers hope that the sediment samples picked up by the Mars rover Perseverance could reveal traces of life — if it ever existed on the Red Planet.
The rover already has confirmed an ancient lake on Mars. The new research published in Science Advances shows the Jezero Crater, where Perseverance verified lake sediments, is theorized to have been filled with water that deposited layers of sediments on the crater floor. "The delta deposits in Jezero Crater contain sedimentary records of potentially habitable conditions on Mars," the research article's abstract stated. "NASA's Perseverance rover is exploring the Jezero western delta with a suite of instruments that include the RIMFAX ground penetrating radar, which provides continuous subsurface images that probe up to 20 meters below the rover."
The research by UCLA and the University of Oslo shows the lake subsequently shrank and the sediments carried by a river formed a large delta... [R]adar images revealed sediments shaped like lake deposits on Earth. Their existence was confirmed by the new research.
The rover already has confirmed an ancient lake on Mars. The new research published in Science Advances shows the Jezero Crater, where Perseverance verified lake sediments, is theorized to have been filled with water that deposited layers of sediments on the crater floor. "The delta deposits in Jezero Crater contain sedimentary records of potentially habitable conditions on Mars," the research article's abstract stated. "NASA's Perseverance rover is exploring the Jezero western delta with a suite of instruments that include the RIMFAX ground penetrating radar, which provides continuous subsurface images that probe up to 20 meters below the rover."
The research by UCLA and the University of Oslo shows the lake subsequently shrank and the sediments carried by a river formed a large delta... [R]adar images revealed sediments shaped like lake deposits on Earth. Their existence was confirmed by the new research.
Of course it did. (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, microbial life obviously exists beyond our tiny blue dot. It does feel like we should be way past repeatedly asking that single question. I suspect it's the media play it up more than anything though.
Re: (Score:2)
don't be so sure
just because there are lots of something (solar systems and planets) and something is true of one of them doesn't mean, although i agree it's unlikely, that it's not a unique scenario.
a 'very rare earth' hypothesis is still a very distinct possibility until we find that smoking gun - a living thing outside of our biosphere, and hopefully one which we can judge as very unlikely to have resulted from local panspermia.
look at the other planets here and how drastically different they are, and ho
Re: (Score:1)
There was briefly a human colony on Mars some several thousand years ago. I wonder if they'll find evidence of it.
Re: (Score:2)
Not scientific, merely a matter of statistics. There are hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy alone, and about as many galaxies in the Universe. The idea that there isn't life out there, somewhere, is something that you need faith to believe.
No. It's not merely a matter of statistics - you're extrapolating from a sample size of one: Us. A sample that if it didn't exist means the result wouldn't be observed. This is the anthropic principle. [wikipedia.org] While I believe there's life out there - not necessarily intelligent - it is just that: A belief.
Re: (Score:2)
I exist because the universe is exquisitely tailored for life. The universe is exquisitely tailored for life because I exist.
There, that's the Anthropic Principle.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Recovered Archival Fragment: (Score:5, Funny)
The Council of Mars wishes to announce the commencement of its grand plan to protect the citizenry from future asteroid impacts. We share your sorrow at the loss of a most promising neighbour species, and revulsion at the idea that such beautifully scaled and feathered creatures should be supplanted by meek and feeble rat-things.
Shortly before the end of the current [*UNTRANSLATED*] we will begin the transfer of all air, water and deserving life forms to the underground sanctuary areas currently being constructed by conscripted drones and criminal malcontents. [*DATA LOST*] Said enemies of the state are reminded that failure to fulfil quotas, wilful malfeasance or [*UNRECOGNISED IDIOM #13b*] will result in their being rendered into feedstock for our food animals; those who demonstrate repentance may be allowed, at the discretion of the taskmaster in charge, to remain above ground so that they may at least die with the glory of Mother Mars being the last thing that they witness.
Furthermore, those disloyal [*UNTRANSLATED, POSSIBLY INVECTIVE*] who deny the obvious wisdom of the Council's plan face the penalty of removal of the anterior nerve bundles and conversion into Bonded Thralls.
You know who you are.
So do we.
Be warned. Be silent.
Signed,
K'Breel
Provisional adjunct to The Council.
Note to reader: a smaller fragment was found attached to this message, believed to be a notation from a proof-reader, minute-taker or a Martian equivalent.
To my honourable friend K'Stil, beloved leader of the council, from your devoted servant K'Muun:
Keep three eyes on that young upstart K'Breel, he has a fine set of [*UNTRANSLATED*] on him. He'll go far.
And keep another two eyes on him just to be sure; he'll try to go through you just for the fun of it.
P.S. All my best to you and your brood-mother. I understand she just delivered a fine clutch of ravenous new younglings for Mother Mars.
Yet another Betteridge's Law of Headlines. (Score:2)
There's not evidence whatsoever that the lake had life, but it makes a nice headline.
Lots of speculation. Some more fact-based discussion: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/... [nasa.gov]
https://news.brown.edu/article... [brown.edu]
Did a Lake on Mars Once Contain Life? (Score:2)
No. Now stop asking.
If there is life then we should endeavor to go there to study it in detail. If there isn't life then Mars is a dead planet upon which we could possibly create something as close to paradise we could create in this universe. There is a reason that paradise is described as a garden in many cultures. A garden is where people have driven out threatening plants and animals to create a safe and productive environment for themselves. A wild forest is where most everything in it is actively
Ignorant media (Score:1)
The reasoning (Score:2)
While we don't understand abiogenesis to be confident in the conditions required, we have found all the building blocks of life available in space. We know the raw materials were available not just to Earth, but to any rock orbiting the Sun.
We also know that life appeared on Earth more or less 'instantly' in geological terms. As soon as the planet was even barely capable of hosting life as we know it, it sprung up. On the reasonable assumption that until we learn otherwise the Earth isn't particularly s