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SUBMAN1

08-05-08 04:16 PM

Perchlorate found on Mars makes soil less Earthlike

I guess this means no life 'ever' was on Mars, or unlikely.

-S

Quote:

Martian soil may be less Earthlike and less hospitable to life than researchers believed.

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has found traces of perchlorate in two soil samples analyzed during the past month, the space agency announced today. The results appeared to be the same ones rumored this weekend by AviationWeek.com to have been seen by the White House and to reflect Mars's habitability for life....

Read on here - http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-...soi-2008-08-04

Platapus

08-05-08 06:56 PM

First they have to eliminate contamination from the spacecraft.

Second, the levels detected are not high enough to eliminate the possibility of life

Third, there is no reason to believe that this particular sample is representative of the entire planet.

Fourth, other experiments on the spacecraft did not detect Perchlorate.

Fifth, we don't know if life on Mars would enjoy an environment of Perchlorate. Life on Mars may not have a thyroid gland :)

I think the media needs to leave the scientists alone for a while so they can do their work in peace. They will let us know when their testing is done.

August

08-05-08 07:05 PM

From the Wiki article on Perchlorate:

Quote:

Low levels of perchlorate have been detected in both drinking water and groundwater in 35 states in the US according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2004, the chemical was also found in cow's milk in the area with an average level of 1.3 parts per billion ("ppb" or µg/L), which may have entered the cows through feeding on crops that had exposure to water containing perchlorates.[4] According to the Impact Area Groundwater Study Program [1], the chemical has been detected as high as 5 µg/L in Massachusetts, well over the state regulation of 2 µg/L[5]

Does that mean there's no life on Earth as well? :D

Platapus

08-05-08 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by August

Does that mean there's no life on Earth as well? :D

No intelligent life :yep:

SUBMAN1

08-05-08 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Quote:

Originally Posted by August

Does that mean there's no life on Earth as well? :D

No intelligent life :yep:

Well, I'm still looking for it on Earth at least, though it seems to be a rare oddity! :D :lol: :rotfl:

-S

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