Do you think there’s life from on Mars?
- Thread starter Ruscha.daksha02
- Start date
Probably underground in water bacteria will exist.
Life on Mars - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Mars and Earth have been exchanging material since the start of the solar system so i expect bacteria will be on every moon or planet that can host life.
Everywhere water exists at least in our solar system.
I tend to agree that life on or in Mars will be pretty limited.
Caves and lava tubes extend for 100s of KM here on Earth so never say never about Mars.
Conditions underground could be favorable to advanced life in just the right places at just the right depth.
Eyes probably not much use at depth on Mars but Earth has eyeless cave dwellers also.
Snakes do most of hunting with heat detection so maybe cave dwellers on Mars do also.
It would be a spectacular discovery to find DNA based life forms on an extra terrestrial world. However, now in the midst of Earth's global pandemic, I think that the old caution of "Be careful of what you wish for, you might get it" applies with vigor. I'm fine with Mars being a barren, lifeless world where no life form can exist without "outside" support. Those hardy, brave, adventurous folks that plan to colonize Mars just might turn out to be "Trail Blazers" in more ways than anticipated.
Good reason for a 1 way trip to Mars.
Any alien microbial life is sure to be problematic for humans.
Quite a logical remark. But is the existing atmosphere on Mars just enough to keep these bacteria alive? Who knows. Future research will show exactly how things are. But so far, everything is nothing more than theory.
When I was in HS (late 60s), I had a smart friend who covered his bedroom walls with Mars images and maps. He had great respect for P. Lowell and the work from the Flagstaff observatory. Powell was convinced that the lines seen on Mars were canals - as in the ones that life-forms would dig intentionally.
There were also many sci fy stories (books and movies) about Martians. I enjoyed the tv series -- My Favorite Martian. But there was also the famous Halloween broadcast with the great Orson Wells that gave up to the minute details of a Martian invasion -- in between the commercials. Many became deathly afraid and took it as real, unfortunately.
So the possibility for life on Mars has gone through a number of mood swings, and this goes back many centuries.
But science is factually-based, and the more we looked, especially after landing there, the less the chances became. But these were chasing the proverbial low-hanging fruit. If life was abundant, even if fossilized, it would have been found.
But more facts have come that indicate liquid water under the surface, and that bumps the odds considerably, especially for bacteria, be it from Earth originally or Mars itself.
It all points to the question of abiogenesis. How remotely possible is it?
There were also many sci fy stories (books and movies) about Martians. I enjoyed the tv series -- My Favorite Martian. But there was also the famous Halloween broadcast with the great Orson Wells that gave up to the minute details of a Martian invasion -- in between the commercials. Many became deathly afraid and took it as real, unfortunately.
So the possibility for life on Mars has gone through a number of mood swings, and this goes back many centuries.
But science is factually-based, and the more we looked, especially after landing there, the less the chances became. But these were chasing the proverbial low-hanging fruit. If life was abundant, even if fossilized, it would have been found.
But more facts have come that indicate liquid water under the surface, and that bumps the odds considerably, especially for bacteria, be it from Earth originally or Mars itself.
It all points to the question of abiogenesis. How remotely possible is it?
Catastrophe
"Science begets knowledge, opinion ignorance.
Apparently, in the Great Scheme of Things, life here began very soon after planet formation. Allowing for the so-called Fermi Paradox. which does not seem to take account of communication difficulties (I may be a dinosaur as I don't yet have 1000 times FTL on my phone).
So there is an enormous time gap locally (as Mars) or more distantly (anything beyond Alpha Centauri).
The question is: Do you think there’s life from on Mars? [stet]
There may have been a very long time ago. It may persist even now. The plus factor is that (if it ever existed) it would never have been "intelligent" - so it had a chance to survive!
Cat
So there is an enormous time gap locally (as Mars) or more distantly (anything beyond Alpha Centauri).
The question is: Do you think there’s life from on Mars? [stet]
There may have been a very long time ago. It may persist even now. The plus factor is that (if it ever existed) it would never have been "intelligent" - so it had a chance to survive!
Cat
I'm in the camp that places with liquid water will have life.
In our solar system i have a feeling earth has exchanged enough material to contaminate the entire solar system with bacterial life.
For all we know bacterial life might have come from another planet/moon in our solar system to Earth or even beyond our solar system to earth.
How life started so soon after life could exist on Earth is a mystery.
Life was already pretty complex as the beginning of life on Earth.
Catastrophe
"Science begets knowledge, opinion ignorance.
You posted "I'm in the camp that places with liquid water will have life. "
(My emphasis)
Is this not a little extreme? How about adverse radiation for starters?
Cat
(My emphasis)
Is this not a little extreme? How about adverse radiation for starters?
Cat
There is a National Geographic series (I think it's 10 episodes) on Disney plus called "One Strange Rock." You can subscribe monthly or yearly for a very reasonable fee.
Anyhow, the series starts with the formation of earth 4 billion plus years ago, and it shows all the things that were required to happen for the earth to be able to support intelligent life, such as plate tectonics, a reasonably strong magnetic field, massive volcanic eruptions... the list goes on and on. It's absolutely incredible that we're actually here today. In fact, the series mentions that it's highly unlikely this could have happened anywhere else in the universe.
Give it a look - a long, thoughtful look - if you will.
Big universe (endless) so i think endless numbers of ET, but i agree ET will take a very long time to find and only if ET is in our Galaxy.
ET on 99.999% of worlds Bacteria.
Moons of big planets in the habitable zone IMO will be 100x more places to look than our freakish Earth/Moon setup.
Catastrophe
"Science begets knowledge, opinion ignorance.
That seems reasonable even if we are talking the "nicer" stars, unlike the red dwarfs with their tantrums. The B & O class of stars are short-lived and too hot. [My mind is thinking about Goldylocks for some reason, and also about an old railroad company.
] But we don't known enough yet as to what tiny percent may have seen abiogenesis, and if so, what percent had the right combination of other planets to minimize asteroid bombardments, etc.
On the one hand, you think logically. On the other hand, we need to wait until missions are sent to the Moon and Mars, after which the samples will be examined and the first sane conclusions made. I still think that countries need to join forces to achieve a faster result. After all, there are already many different aerospace agencies in the world. For example, https://www.skyrora.com/ shows stable results and develops rather quickly. This is a good indicator for other companies interested in efficient space exploration.
I agree the proof is in the pudding
Finding life on Mars that is similar to bacteria life on earth would say something about the ability of life to hop from planet to planet.
Finding life that has little or nothing to do with earth life would tell us life is probably everywhere it can be in the universe or at least our galaxy.
Finding no life or no signs of it ever happening on Mars probably says life is a freak event on Earth.
Any of the answers above is a good one
If you hope to find aliens and flying saucers on Mars, I have to disappoint you because it's a conspiracy. However, I believe certain life forms, such as viruses, bacteria, and the simplest microorganisms, live there. The only way to find out the truth is to organize a mission to Mars.
I think a robotic mission taking samples of the oozing water at the surface would answer the life question pretty quick.
I wonder why they not send a microscope with the next Martian probe, instead of all these fancy instruments that never give a definitive answer as to whether life exists on Mars?
Catastrophe
"Science begets knowledge, opinion ignorance.
aradiralami, welcome to the forum:
" . . . . . . instead of all these fancy instruments that never give a definitive answer as to whether life exists on Mars?"
However, I must ask: do you understand that the fancy instruments have a useful job to do? Past (or present) life on Mars will be shown (if found) from examination of the relevant samples.
Cat
" . . . . . . instead of all these fancy instruments that never give a definitive answer as to whether life exists on Mars?"
However, I must ask: do you understand that the fancy instruments have a useful job to do? Past (or present) life on Mars will be shown (if found) from examination of the relevant samples.
Cat
Catastrophe
"Science begets knowledge, opinion ignorance.
If you go back far enough, abiogenesis is the only answer. The only alternatives are that there was life in the BB or that life was invented by some super being, IMHO both equally improbable (said in the style of Yorkshire).
For non UK participants: There is a saying here "that will do". In Yorkshire (an English county) "that will do" is taken to mean that 'it' will much more than do, it will be really good. In other words, it is an expression of praise or great functionality far beyond just being suitable.
For example: you win £/$ 100 million on the lottery. Oh, that will do.
The point of my little incursion into local idioms is that I cannot specifically go into just how improbable without making statements which might be considered out of order
So I consider those alternatives improbable to the point of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . you guess.
Cat
For non UK participants: There is a saying here "that will do". In Yorkshire (an English county) "that will do" is taken to mean that 'it' will much more than do, it will be really good. In other words, it is an expression of praise or great functionality far beyond just being suitable.
For example: you win £/$ 100 million on the lottery. Oh, that will do.
The point of my little incursion into local idioms is that I cannot specifically go into just how improbable without making statements which might be considered out of order
So I consider those alternatives improbable to the point of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . you guess.
Cat
Catastrophe
"Science begets knowledge, opinion ignorance.
Do you think there’s life from on Mars?
I really don't know. No one does. At one point (approximately 4 billion years ago) conditions were said to be "Earthlike" and capable of initiating primitive life. If it happened, there may be signs remaining for us to find. Or, as one theory goes, life might have been 'blown' there. It is believed now to be a dead world.
Whateverwhichway I hope there was life, any life however primitive, on Mars, on anywhere!
One thing is certain, in a known Universe (only the part we can see) there are billions upon billions of galaxies forming parts of even larger units, containing billions upon billions upon billions of stars, some with planets (I do not doubt) on which life (past, present or future) resides. Tell me there is no intelligent extra terrestrial life.
Without FLT there may never be viable means of communication.
Cat
I really don't know. No one does. At one point (approximately 4 billion years ago) conditions were said to be "Earthlike" and capable of initiating primitive life. If it happened, there may be signs remaining for us to find. Or, as one theory goes, life might have been 'blown' there. It is believed now to be a dead world.
Whateverwhichway I hope there was life, any life however primitive, on Mars, on anywhere!
One thing is certain, in a known Universe (only the part we can see) there are billions upon billions of galaxies forming parts of even larger units, containing billions upon billions upon billions of stars, some with planets (I do not doubt) on which life (past, present or future) resides. Tell me there is no intelligent extra terrestrial life.
Without FLT there may never be viable means of communication.
Cat
And if they are not directly trying to communicate with us i doubt media like tv signals last for more than a few LY then become background noise.Do you think there’s life from on Mars?
I really don't know. No one does. At one point (approximately 4 billion years ago) conditions were said to be "Earthlike" and capable of initiating primitive life. If it happened, there may be signs remaining for us to find. Or, as one theory goes, life might have been 'blown' there. It is believed now to be a dead world.
Whateverwhichway I hope there was life, any life however primitive, on Mars, on anywhere!
One thing is certain, in a known Universe (only the part we can see) there are billions upon billions of galaxies forming parts of even larger units, containing billions upon billions upon billions of stars, some with planets (I do not doubt) on which life (past, present or future) resides. Tell me there is no intelligent extra terrestrial life.
Without FLT there may never be viable means of communication.
Cat
Going to be tough to find anyone if we first need to have a pretty good idea they exist before trying to directly send signals that might be a few ly away or on other side of galaxy. or them us same problem.
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