1st Methane, Now Oxygen: Another Possible 'Biosignature' Gas Is Acting Weird on Mars

[Admin]

Another possible biosignature gas is behaving strangely in Mars' air.

1st Methane, Now Oxygen: Another Possible 'Biosignature' Gas Is Acting Weird on Mars : Read more

 

[Hildy]

While SETI should use the default "not alien" in its results, it seems irrational to denigrate the possibility of extraterrestrial microbial life on Mars (or anywhere else).

It should be remembered that the Viking LR experiment yielded results that showed the existence of biological activities according to the experimental design. Since then, other non-biological explanations have been proposed.

Also, the Martian meteorite AHL84001 had morphological features which were described as biomorphs. Since then, other non-biological explanations have also been proposed.

I won't speculate on why the Martian research community speaks as it does but it would seem that allowing for a biological, as well as a geological explanation would be a better scientific approach.

 

[rod]

Life on Mars reports I find very interesting and very tentative. We have this report on methane gas differences reported between NASA and ESA probes, ESA's Mars orbiters did not see

My model for scientific accuracy is the standard of repeated observations, predictions, and measurements that led astronomers to abandon the geocentric universe of Claudius Ptolemy through Tycho Brahe and embrace the heliocentric solar system and distance measurements that came following the 1672 Cassini Mars parallax measurements. Later telescopes revealed the solar parallax and stellar parallax measurements. Much observation using telescopes, parallax measurements, etc. are responsible for rejecting the geocentric doctrine and embracing the heliocentric solar system. When I look at the history of life on Mars reports going back to Percival Lowell observations, his Martians building canals through current claims about life on Mars, especially since NASA Viking landers or meteorite ALH84001 – the science is not as secure as the astronomy science that led to rejection of the geocentric solar system and small universe teaching (telescope parallax measurements showed just how false this cosmology was). The life on Mars doctrine is not securely established like the astronomy that overthrew the geocentric universe. It also appears to me that if NASA or others never find life on Mars – you can never falsify the tenet that life once evolved on Mars and lived there – billions of years ago.
Percival Lowell