Mars Curiosity Rover - Mission Progress

interesting if true??

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has discovered that Martian soil is an awfully lot like Hawaiian sand.

No methane on Mars.


Where's Mars' Methane? Curiosity Draws a Blank

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The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.

No methane on Mars.


Where's Mars' Methane? Curiosity Draws a Blank

________________________________
The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.

Very early days, still, for Curiosity. As the article mentions, there are several explanations for the non-detection of methane which do not rule out current life there. Among these: seasonal variability of methane production, a proportion of methane below the current threshold of detection, chemical reactions on Mars that could very quickly destroy methane, and issues around the functioning of Curiosity's methane detecting instrument.

Just read where NASA will have a big announcement early in December regarding a discovery that Curiosity has made. They are holding off until the data has been verified.
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Bob DeWoody

Speculation Centers on Organic Molecules. So they think??
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The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.

OK, if Mars has it's own biosphere no matter how tenuous do we still send humans there? I know this isn't the United Federation of Planets and there is nothing written that would prevent us from going there but would the discovery of any form of life be good enough reason to stay away?
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Bob DeWoody

Speculation Centers on Organic Molecules. So they think??
__________________________
The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.

Speculation Centers on Organic Molecules. So they think??
__________________________
The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.

That would be good, Lynn; just how far up the organic molecules chain did Mars
manage to progress?

Organic molecules exist in stellar gas clouds and are detected by millimeter band radio telescopes, so finding them on Mars should not be impossible. Maybe NASA and JPL found something more.
Tyullio
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Organic compounds of sufficient complexity could be best explained as coming from living things. As these tend to break down, their continued presence would suggest they are being replenished by currently existing life.

SETI Institute shared this link on Facebook a few hours ago: http://www.npr.org/2012/11/20/165513016/big-news-from-mars-rover-scientists-mum-for-now?sc=tw

Long story short: The SAM instrument has detected something. SAM is looking for organic molecules.

Scientists do not expect Curiosity to find living creatures . Darn it :-(


Nasa puts lid on Mars excitement
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The universe wastes nothing, it's simply transferred.

The fellow 'putting the lid on Mars excitement' is Guy Webster a publicist or journalist, not a scientist. I very much doubt that he is privy to the information that the science team is holding onto so closely at the moment. If we had to eliminate all the scientific discoveries that were made unexpectedly, we'd be living in a very different and much less interesting world. Curiosity is able to detect chemical 'biosignatures', which are indicators of life. No one can say, in advance of the Dec. 3 press briefing, that this is what they have found, but given the 'one for the history books' remark by Dr. Grotzinger, head of the Curiosity science team, it is not an unreasonable possibility.