Levin and LR Experiment back in the "news"

[radarredux]

[Note: just as I was about to post this, I noticed that his is <b>not</b> a news story but a press release. It is still somewhat interesting, so I decided to go ahead a post it.]<br /><br />With the recent stories of water-based chemistry found by the MERs, methane discoveries, and an apparently frozen sea, more scientists are taking the possibility of life on Mars more seriously.<br /><br />While Gilbert Levin and his Labeled Release (LR) experiments on Viking are frequently dismissed in these newsgroups, apparently he is getting some more attention. Below is a recent news story:<br /><br />Spherix Viking Scientist Who First Claimed Life on Mars Welcomes Deluge of Support<br />http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050301/dctu036_1.html

 

[JonClarke]

Levin is understandably very keen to have his Viking experiment vindictated, preferably before Levin shuffles off this mortal coil.<br /><br />However, nothing has really changed. At both sites the absence of simple organics to ppm level and complex organics to ppb level and the behaviour of the GEX and the PR experiments which point to abundant strong oxidants in the soil also remain unchanged. The absence of organics in the GCMS experiment are consitent with the presence of strong oxidants. The LR experiment results, while consistent with biology are also consistent with strong chemical oxidants, and possibly more so. Thus, taken on it's own the LR experimental results was at best ambiguous, the whole package indicates that no life was detected.<br /><br />No subsequent data forces a neccessary change on this interpretation. Even if ALH84001 did contain evidence of lidfe, it does not demonstrate present life on mars (although it does improve its chances) or that Viking detected it. Even if the recently detected methane is biogenic, it may be coming from the subsurface, which Viking could not sample. The surface could still be sterile.<br /><br />It is important also remember that it is not a simple life/no life choice with respect to Viking. There are several possibilities. 1) Viking did not detect life on mars because there is no life on Mars. 2) There is life on Mars but Viking did not detect it (it might live only in the subsurface or in scattered oases). 3) There is life on Mars and Viking did find it. I thin the evidence is for either 1) or 2).<br /><br />The fact is, despite the claims of the woo woos that there is a conspiracy against "admitting" there is life on Mars, if anything the media is overly favourably disposed to life on Mars and will clutch at any straw that might point in that direction.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>