Life on Mars hopes raised

BBC News Online ^ | April. 5, 2002 | Dr. David Whitehouse

[callisto]

Please let me know if should locate it. The closest I found on a a few searches netted these conclusions from George Mason University.

A start has been made to simulate the precipitation of carbonate globules on the formation of a rock surface to model results found in the Martian meteorite ALH84001. Through the analysis of the potential functions we were able to generalize the particle stick test that is, within 5nm of the surface the particle sticks. Our simulation reveals that the particle `stick test' does not change the probability distribution of the center of the surface, in that it remains uniformly distributed in a 30x10 nm rectangle. Given more time we would incorporate a particle surface update system (proposed under future modifications) and perhaps use a fractal rock surface rather than the linear surface currently being tested.

The complete final report

[SurferDoc]

Have the Greenies mentioned global warming on Mars yet? ;)

[Nebullis]

This is what I recalled. It's not an impressive report.

[RadioAstronomer]

We could spend billions sending a fleet of probes or billions sending humans to solve the mystery. It's a fascinating place.

Indeed we could and in my book, money well spent. :)

[RadioAstronomer]

It's almost not going to be surprising anymore to find life on Mars.

Or at least fossilized life from a warmer time in Mars history.

[RadioAstronomer]

I tell them (with a wink) "It's hard enough for the cosmologists and astrophysicists... unable to account for 90% of their subject matter... You want a field without any subject matter?" But, of course, with amino acids found in nebulae, comets, meteors, it is probably just a matter of time.

How about SETI. LOL!!! No subject matter at all.

[edwin hubble]

You would think so, but xenobilogy never caught on.... just exobiology or astrobiology.

exobiology: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ...The branch of biology that deals with the search for extraterrestrial life and the effects of extraterrestrial surroundings on living organisms. Also called astrobiology,...

Search Results for “xenobiologist” No documents match the query.

[RadioAstronomer]

Search Results for “xenobiologist” No documents match the query.

Except in SiFi. :) It is used extensively.

[quimby]

Except in SiFi. :) It is used extensively.

Did you see the word "earthian" used here to describe a possible meteor found on mars of terrestrial origin ? A martian would call such an object "earthian." Terrestrial = earth, execpt to non-earthilings. 8^)