BUT ONLY FIT FOR A MARTIAN.
Posted on 08/04/2008 6:07:52 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
New results from NASA's Phoenix Mars lander suggest that the surface layers of the Martian arctic region may not be as friendly to life as initial results suggested, NASA said today.
Two samples analyzed within the last month by Phoenix's Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) suggest that the Martian dirt may contain perchlorate, a highly oxidizing substance, which would create a harsh environment for any potential life.
The findings stand against the results from MECA's first analysis, which indicated the dirt was Earth-like in certain respects, including its pH and the presence of certain minerals.
"Initial MECA analyses suggested Earth-like soil. Further analysis has revealed un-Earthlike aspects of the soil chemistry," said Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith.
The news came today on the heels of a report on Friday that MECA had found intriguing results that had been shared with the White House. In correspondence with SPACE.com, Smith denied that any briefing with the White House had been held.
And the findings are inconclusive as yet, Smith indicated. "We are committed to following a rigorous scientific process," he said. "While we have not completed our process on these soil samples, we have very interesting intermediate results."
NASA will hold a press briefing tomorrow to further discuss the new MECA findings.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html
NASA Spacecraft Analyzing Martian Soil Data, Teleconference Scheduled
08.04.08. — Scientists are analyzing results from soil samples delivered several weeks ago to science instruments on NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander to understand the landing site’s soil chemistry and mineralogy.
NASA will hold a media teleconference on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 2 p.m. EDT, to discuss these recent science activities.
The soil has the acidity of chlorine, the temperature is a balmy -40 F°, the air is thinner than at the top of Mt. Everest, and now you tell me I can’t grow some nice cabbages on Mars?
perchlorate is the solvent used to dry clean clothes.
Mildly carcinogenic
so we won’t need to take our washing machines then...:)
Well, wouldn’t vaporizing the samples kinda skew the information they’ll get from it?
Rocket Fuel
“We have analyzed 3 grams of dirt from an area the size of a planet and have concluded we don’t know a fricking thing about a fricking thing”, NASA said today.
Nope. You're thinking of perchloroethane or perchloroethylene, both chlorinated organic solvents.
Perchlorate (sodium or potassium salt) is a strong oxidizer and can make some really nice fireworks if mixed with the right fuel and metal salts (explosives too).
Well gee.... No wonder nothing is growing or living there...
Metal salts? ...Like aluminum powder??
No cabbage-growing, but you can dry clean your clothes there!
This would support the Viking soil conclusions from the 1970’s - complex organic molecules don’t have a chance in such an environment.
Might the lander have introduced that?
Why always LIFE? I think there may be popsicle sticks up there. That’s what keeps me enthused.
Or, in the old days, carbon tetrachloride.
It does make you wonder where all the halides came from though. Aside from salt, there aren't a lot of fixed inorganic halides on earth, certainly not in the form of perchlorates. Was Mars' atmosphere dominated by free molecular chlorine at some point, whereas Earth's was largely inert nitrogen, with some oxygen and carbon dioxide? That would tend to explain why Earth's inorganic salts tend to be carbonates and nitrates rather than halides ...
It can't be much worse than the chirt that makes up most of my yard.
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