Possible evidence for past life in Martian meteorite NWA 998

[paulscottanderson]

I received an interesting report this week, courtesy of Nick Balaskas, regarding additional possible evidence for past microscopic life on Mars, found in another well-known Martian meteorite, NWA 998. Recent studies of fragments from within the meteorite using an electron microscope at the University of Toronto revealed what appear to be microscopic sized filaments of some kind. From the preliminary e-mail report:

“To minimize contamination, several fragments of NWA 998 broken off the interior of the meteorite (not from the cut and polished ends) were first obtained. As can be seen in the microphotos taken by my colleague Sal with UofT's electron microscope, the filament-like structures seem to be embedded within the rocky meteorite fragments or growing along natural micro cracks in the rock rather than lying on the surface as foreign particles and other contamination such as microfibres would.

Of course, some of these microscopic filament-like structures may have a geological rather biological origin as pointed out to me by others more experience in such matters. This is why I plan to compare the atoms on the surface of the filament-like structures with the atoms on the surface of the surrounding rocky parts. If our x-ray microprobe analysis (a feature of this electron microscope) show the strong presense of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and other atoms commonly found in organic compounds that have a biological origin but are nearly absent in the material around the filament-like structures, then our case that these are indeed Martians would be strengthened.”

© University of Toronto

Additional and larger images are in my original blog post:

http://web.me.com/planetaria/planetaria ... orite.html

These images are presented for consideration and feedback; observations by geologists or biologists in particular would be welcome as to the possible nature of these filaments.

 

[JonClarke]

So why haven't they published it? If they had real evidence they would be holding onto it until it get the cover story in Science or Nature, not letting pictures slip out on the internet.

 

[silylene]

I received an interesting report this week, courtesy of Nick Balaskas..........This is why I plan to compare the atoms on the surface of the filament-like structures with the atoms on the surface of the surrounding rocky parts. If our x-ray microprobe analysis (a feature of this electron microscope) show the strong presense of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and other atoms commonly found in organic compounds that have a biological origin but are nearly absent in the material around the filament-like structures, then our case that these are indeed Martians would be strengthened.”.

One wonders why they are talking about the XAS (probably XANES or EXAFS) instead of just running it almost immediately, and analyzing the results. The test is straigthforward, easy and not time consuming. We run it all the time here. All talk, no action, makes me think this report is odd, at best.

 

[JonClarke]

One wonders why they are talking about the XAS (probably XANES or EXAFS) instead of just running it almost immediately, and analyzing the results. The test is straigthforward, easy and not time consuming. We run it all the time here. All talk, no action, makes me think this report is odd, at best.

Back in the day when I did that sort of stuff it was just a matter of pressing some buttons and knobs when the sample was still in the SEM.

 

[nimbus]

Just out of curiosity - What kind of SEM did you both work with?