Phoenix Lander Finds Right Conditions for Life on Mars

mercurial

mercurial

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LOS ANGELES — The Phoenix lander's first taste test of soil near Mars' north pole reveals a briny environment similar to what can be found in backyards on Earth, scientists said Thursday.

The finding raises hope that the Martian arctic plains could have conditions favorable for primitive life. Phoenix landed a month ago to study the habitability of Mars' northern latitudes.

"There's nothing about it that would preclude life. In fact, it seems very friendly," mission scientist Samuel Kounaves of Tufts University said of the soil. "There's nothing about it that's toxic."

Phoenix so far has not detected organic carbon, considered an essential building block of life. Last week, the lander found evidence of ice below the soil.

Scientists generally agree that liquid water, a stable energy source and organic, or carbon-containing, compounds are required for a habitable zone.

The latest experiment was designed to test for minerals that do not have carbon in them. Earlier this week, Phoenix's 8-foot-long robotic arm delivered a pinch of dirt to its onboard lab.

Like a chemist, the spacecraft mixed the soil with water brought from Earth into a beaker the size of a teacup and stirred it. Sensors inside the beaker detect the soil's pH and probe for traces of the nutrients.

Preliminary results showed the soil had a pH between 8 and 9, researchers said. A pH less than 7 means the solution is acidic, while a pH over 7 means it is salty. Phoenix also detected the presence of magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride in the mixture.

"It's typical of the soil here on Earth minus the organics," Kounaves said during a teleconference from Tucson, Ariz.

On Earth, asparagus, green beans and turnips could be planted in such an environment and chemical-loving bacteria would thrive there, he said.

Scientists said another experiment that heated the soil to high temperatures and sniffed the gas found traces of water vapor.

"This soil clearly has interacted with water in the past," said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, Tucson.

The heating experiment, which was designed to look for organics, did not yield conclusive evidence of carbon. Scientists planned to study another soil sample taken from further below the surface.
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They should send Uncle Bob there, he would sure be able to fukc up their food source as well.
 
Asparagus could grow on Mars, Nasa scientists claim

Life on Mars could be supported by nutrients in the soil, Nasa scientists said last night.

First analysis of samples gleaned from Nasa's Phoenix Lander mission shows the ground is alkaline - just right to grow asparagus or green beans.

'This is very exciting,' said Sam Kounaves, the mission's lead analyst.

'We were all flabbergasted. We have found what appears to be the requirements, the nutrients, to support life whether past present or future. It is the type of soil you would probably have in your back yard. You might be able to grow asparagus in it really well.'
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Link
 
Interesting stuff this. When is the first manned mission gonna be? We sure are taking out time in that regard...
 
HenryJ said:
Interesting stuff this. When is the first manned mission gonna be? We sure are taking out time in that regard...
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Well the conditions on Mars is not exactly friendly for humans, so when we have the technology, I'm sure we will go :)
 
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mercurial said:
Well the conditions on Mars is not exactly friendly for humans, so when we have the technology, I'm sure we will go :)
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But we can walk around in suits like we allagedly did on the Moon way back when. Just to check things out ya know?
 
HenryJ said:
But we can walk around in suits like we allagedly did on the Moon way back when. Just to check things out ya know?
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The moon is very different to Mars. The atmosphere on Mars is not suitable for us. Also, it's !@#$ cold there bru! The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95% Carbon Dioxide :eek: (that much will kill us), 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane. The atmosphere is quite dusty as well and that's why it has that dusty, orange look.
 
mercurial said:
The moon is very different to Mars. The atmosphere on Mars is not suitable for us. Also, it's !@#$ cold there bru! The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95% Carbon Dioxide :eek: (that much will kill us), 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane. The atmosphere is quite dusty as well and that's why it has that dusty, orange look.
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That's why we need the suits until we can terraform it or whatever :)

We can build bases and stuff up there with air we can breathe inside - like spacestations but on the ground...

That's what I would do anyway :D
 
mercurial said:
The moon is very different to Mars. The atmosphere on Mars is not suitable for us. Also, it's !@#$ cold there bru! The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95% Carbon Dioxide :eek: (that much will kill us), 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane. The atmosphere is quite dusty as well and that's why it has that dusty, orange look.
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That's why we need the suits until we can terraform it or whatever :)

We can build bases and stuff up there with air we can breathe inside - like spacestations but on the ground...

That's what I would do anyway :D
 
HenryJ said:
That's why we need the suits until we can terraform it or whatever :)

We can build bases and stuff up there with air we can breathe inside - like spacestations but on the ground...

That's what I would do anyway :D
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I know, but I'm sure if it was that simple, they would've done that by now. We need much more research and money to fully understand the implications of such a mission. Personally, I say send the criminals there and see what happens. If they survive, good for us, if they die, good for us :D
 
mercurial said:
I know, but I'm sure if it was that simple, they would've done that by now. We need much more research and money to fully understand the implications of such a mission. Personally, I say send the criminals there and see what happens. If they survive, good for us, if they die, good for us :D
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Now that is a good idea. Australia all over again :)
 
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