'Alien burp' may have been detected on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover

[Admin]

Methane tends to only be made by biological life, so scientists are wondering if the source is from alien microbes.

'Alien burp' may have been detected on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover : Read more

 

[rod]

Interesting. If we accept life is on Mars today to explain the methane, we know life is here on Earth, Venus may have phosphine from life (or volcanic activity), Europa may have life, and reports of methane at Enceladus so perhaps life at Enceladus. This provides astrobiology 5 different places in our solar system where the assumption of abiogenesis must be maintained and took place independently. All 5 locations may still have life there today, we know Earth does so abiogenesis must be very efficient at converting non-living matter into life and such life continues in these places today, even after billions of years.

This story of life in our solar system continues to be repeated to the public. Such a doctrine about the origin of life (abiogenesis) that is the foundation of all the reports about *alien life* in our solar system on Mars, Venus, Europa, and Enceladus, will someday have to follow the same rules laid down that the heliocentric solar system astronomy had to follow to be accepted as fact and true in science. Galileo observed the Galilean moons moving around Jupiter more than 400 years ago. Using my telescopes, I can still see those same moons today at Jupiter. This is a good standard to adhere too when it comes to life in other places in the solar system today.

 

[rod]

I read this article today and found interesting. New Approach Could Boost the Search for Life in Otherworldly Oceans, https://www.scientificamerican.com/...t-the-search-for-life-in-otherworldly-oceans/

Astrobiology as a science is the driving force in the search for life beyond Earth, including life on Mars. However, astrobiology is like geocentric astronomy in my opinion. Geocentric astronomy teachers held to the belief that the Earth was immovable, thus the Sun was moving around the Earth and all the other lights observed in the firmament did too. Astrobiology holds to the central tenet that life can arise from non-living matter, called abiogenesis. At some point in the pursuit of the scientific method, astrobiology will have to be held to the same standard of observation and verification as the heliocentric solar system was that overturned the geocentric astronomy doctrine. That means two items are needed in my view. 1. Life is in our solar system on other worlds must be confirmed (e.g. Venus, Mars, Europa, Enceladus), and 2. Life arises from non-living matter via abiogenesis doctrine must be confirmed. So far, astrobiology does not measure up like the heliocentric solar system astronomy measures up, verifiable through repeated observations and measurements that supports the paradigm. This is my thinking here.

 

[sam85geo]

Impressive technology is operating on Mars. Hopefully, enough data will be acquired to allow a "go, no-go" decision about manned colonies on Mars.

 

[newworldsexplr]

I think the article said the main location is in the west or south-west part of Gale Crater where most of the spikes in methane emissions came from that were observed from the Curiosity rover. What more specifically is the location or co-ordinates of the calculated location where the methane emissions seem to be concentrated? Also what chance is there that the Curiosity Rover or some other Mars spacecraft could go back to observe that location? I heard the European/Russian ExoMars Trace Gas Observer orbiter didn't detect any methane at Gale Crater or elsewhere on Mars. However, I heard it just observes inthe Martian day time and that most of the methane emissions detected by Curiosity are during the Martian night time. I heard also that recently Curiosity rover managers tried letting Curiosity check for methane in the day time and the readings for methane went from background level of about 0.3 to 0.7 parts per billion to about zero but when they observed at night again they went back to background level. I think the ExoMars orbiter is seeking absorption spectra of methane or other molecules when it observes Mars only in the daytime. With the exceptional sensitivity of the ExoMars Trace Gas Observer what is the possibility it could be used to look for molecular emission spectra of methane or other molecules, including at Gale Crater during the Martian night?

Also what, if any, evidence was observed from orbit or even on the ground by Curiosity rover if it was ever close enough and had that capability of any fracturing of the ground or any subsurface cavities around the location where the methane spikes are calculated to be concentrated? Could any such subsurface cavities that were found around the location where the Gale Crater methane spikes were calculated to be concentrated be suitable for the presence of subsurface liquid water and the serpentinization process or the presence of methanogen microbes below the surface that could emit methane and that could reach the surface and be measured by the Curiosity rover?

 

[Catastrophe]

"A group of scientists may have just pinpointed the location on Mars of a mysterious source of methane, a gas most often produced by microbes — and NASA's Curiosity rover could be right on top of it."

QUOTE
In recent years, NASA's Curiosity rover has picked up tiny traces of methane numerous times on the red planet. While these emissions might be coming from some geological process, it was possible they could indicate the presence of some sort of life form on Mars (unlikely to be cows, of course).1 Jul 2021

Methane Keeps Showing Up on Mars. NASA Just Got Closer ...
QUOTE Google

Cat

 

[rod]

Methane has not been determined to biological origin at Mars. ALH84001 meteorite was the best evidence I read about during the Clinton Administration and little Martians were not confirmed. Other more detailed reports on Mars methane can be found at the NASA ADS Abstract service site.

Day-night differences in Mars methane suggest nighttime containment at Gale crater - NASA/ADS (harvard.edu)

Day-night differences in Mars methane suggest nighttime containment at Gale crater (aanda.org)

I did not read anything in the detailed 14 page report that says Mars life is confirmed or the abstract link. I am still waiting to see this confirmation like I can see the Galilean moons using my telescopes. Much zeal here on the forums for life on Mars. Need to adhere to strict scientific method to verify the thinking

 

[rod]

https://www.space.com/mars-life-evidence-erased

This could be a problem on Mars too looking for life.