New research reveals there is hope for Mars yet. The first definitive detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars indicates the planet is still alive, in either a biologic or geologic sense, according to a team of NASA and university scientists.
“Methane is quickly destroyed in the Martian atmosphere in a variety of ways, so our discovery of substantial plumes of methane in the northern hemisphere of Mars in 2003 indicates some ongoing process is releasing the gas,” said Dr. Michael Mumma of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
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“Right now, we don’t have enough information to tell if biology or geology — or both — is producing the methane on Mars,” said Mumma. “But it does tell us that the planet is still alive, at least in a geologic sense. It’s as if Mars is challenging us, saying, hey, find out what this means.” Mumma is lead author of a paper on this research appearing in Science Express Jan. 15.
Jonathan Golob is an actual doctor. More by Jonathan Golob
OMG. Global Warming on Mars! Ban plastic bags immediately! No new freeways, Mars already has enough! They’re all gonna die!!!!!
Most methane is not biological in origin, actually, so I wouldn’t get your hopes up.
Besides, Martian Buffaloes have eight legs.
On Mars no one can hear you fart.
Or chemically alive.
Or bombarded by large frozen farts.
Or merely settling by residual outgassing … though I prefer the explanation that Mars is populated by giant gasbags, just like Earth.
Our own world has vast quantities of frozen methane at the bottom of the oceans.
Actually, I am the largest reservoir of trapped methane in the solar system.
WiS@2:
Wrong. How sad is it that you can be refuted with wikifuckingpedia?
They should send those rovers to look for giant fields full of martian cows.
Damn right. I didn’t fart. I challenged you. I said, hey, find out what this means. Got it? Stop saying I farted.
oh shut up @7. I said in origin, not reprocessed.
And you may note I didn’t say “on Earth”.
Go swimming in Jupiter and wake me when you get tired, ok? fraking moron.
But Fnarf @6 for the win.
You have no idea what you’re talking about, Will.
@6: Drill, baby, drill!
WiS, if you didn’t mean “on Earth,” where the fuck did you mean? On Jupiter? Yeah, no kidding it’s not biological. On Mars? Neither you nor I know if Martian methane is biological or geological.
You meant “on Earth,” only you’re too big of a giant douche to admit it. Isn’t this the point where you’re supposed to talk about how you used to play squash wwith Neil Armstrong, or once got a handjob from Sally Ride, or somethin’?
Oh, and I heard Number Two is swimming in Uranus.
NASA Mars Cover-Up
http://mulletman.org/cowsonmars.html
The manned landing on Mars was faked? Who knew?
Will In Seattle knew. Unless it turns out it wasn’t, then he knew that too.