Is there life on Mars?

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Gfamily
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Is there life on Mars?

Post by Gfamily » Fri Nov 15, 2019 12:32 am

Probably not, but this is interesting...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50419917
[Researchers}... discovered that the amount of oxygen in Martian "air" rose by 30% in spring and summer.
...
While the changes are most likely to be geological in nature, planetary scientists can't completely rule out an explanation involving microbial life.

The results come from nearly six Earth years' (three Martian years') worth of data from the Sample Analysis at Mars (Sam) instrument, a portable chemistry lab in the belly of the Curiosity rover.
Paper
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com ... 19JE006175
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
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JQH
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by JQH » Fri Nov 15, 2019 8:33 am

Methane content shows considerable variation as well. Since that and oxygen are produced by biological processes on Earth the implications are interesting but I presume geological (or should that be areological?) processes can't be ruled out.
And remember that if you botch the exit, the carnival of reaction may be coming to a town near you.

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Gfamily
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by Gfamily » Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:24 am

My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

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Martin Y
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by Martin Y » Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:36 am

Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:24 am
Oh dear !

https://phys.org/news/2019-11-photos-ev ... -ohio.html
It's not April 1st, and it's not funny enough to be a spoof. "These rocks, which are clearly rocks, look a bit like a bee if you squint a bit"? I don't get it.

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Gentleman Jim
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by Gentleman Jim » Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:40 am

Of course there is.
Why else would the BBC be showing a documentary about it*


*Sunday; 9pm, I believe
Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools.

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JQH
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by JQH » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:11 pm

That documentary seems to be focussing on the dangers presented by invasive species.
And remember that if you botch the exit, the carnival of reaction may be coming to a town near you.

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by dyqik » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:22 pm

Life on Mars? is here

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by cvb » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:52 pm

Martin Y wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:36 am
Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:24 am
Oh dear !

https://phys.org/news/2019-11-photos-ev ... -ohio.html
It's not April 1st, and it's not funny enough to be a spoof. "These rocks, which are clearly rocks, look a bit like a bee if you squint a bit"? I don't get it.
Pareidolia much?

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rockdoctor
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by rockdoctor » Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:19 pm

But he's a professor, so it must be true!

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Gfamily
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by Gfamily » Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:38 pm

rockdoctor wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:19 pm
But he's a professor, so it must be true!
Professor Emeritus: tick
working in area outside his speciality: tick
interested in diseases carried by insects: ticks
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by tom p » Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:07 pm

cvb wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:52 pm
Martin Y wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:36 am
Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:24 am
Oh dear !

https://phys.org/news/2019-11-photos-ev ... -ohio.html
It's not April 1st, and it's not funny enough to be a spoof. "These rocks, which are clearly rocks, look a bit like a bee if you squint a bit"? I don't get it.
Pareidolia much?
That 2nd "insect" looks much more like a cannon

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jaap
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by jaap » Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:23 pm

tom p wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:07 pm
That 2nd "insect" looks much more like a cannon
So how big are those "insects" anyway? There is no scale given with those photographs, so they could be as large as a cannon. They'd probably need to have relatively large wings to be able to fly in the thin Martian air. If we ever get to Mars they'd be a great local source of protein, given that there seems to be no other plant or animal life to subsist on.

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by tom p » Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:25 pm

jaap wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:23 pm
tom p wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:07 pm
That 2nd "insect" looks much more like a cannon
So how big are those "insects" anyway? There is no scale given with those photographs, so they could be as large as a cannon.
I was thinking exactly the same thing

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by basementer » Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:28 pm

Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:38 pm
rockdoctor wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:19 pm
But he's a professor, so it must be true!
Professor Emeritus: tick
working in area outside his speciality: tick
interested in diseases carried by insects: ticks
Nicely done but ticks are arachnids.
Money is just a substitute for luck anyway. - Tom Siddell

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by Little waster » Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:54 am

basementer wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:28 pm
Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:38 pm
rockdoctor wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:19 pm
But he's a professor, so it must be true!
Professor Emeritus: tick
working in area outside his speciality: tick
interested in diseases carried by insects: ticks
Nicely done but ticks are arachnids.
Fixes clocks in his spare time?

Only provided minimal feedback when marking his students' work?
This place is not a place of honor, no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here, nothing valued is here.
What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us.
This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by shpalman » Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:48 am

Little waster wrote:
Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:54 am
basementer wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:28 pm
Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:38 pm


Professor Emeritus: tick
working in area outside his speciality: tick
interested in diseases carried by insects: ticks
Nicely done but ticks are arachnids.
Fixes clocks in his spare time?

Only provided minimal feedback when marking his students' work?
Nervously repeats the same small movement?
having that swing is a necessary but not sufficient condition for it meaning a thing
@shpalman@mastodon.me.uk

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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by dyqik » Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:20 pm

shpalman wrote:
Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:48 am
Little waster wrote:
Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:54 am
basementer wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:28 pm

Nicely done but ticks are arachnids.
Fixes clocks in his spare time?

Only provided minimal feedback when marking his students' work?
Nervously repeats the same small movement?
Obtains goods on credit from Peter Serafinowicz?

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jimbob
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by jimbob » Sun Nov 24, 2019 9:44 pm

cvb wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:52 pm
Martin Y wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:36 am
Gfamily wrote:
Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:24 am
Oh dear !

https://phys.org/news/2019-11-photos-ev ... -ohio.html
It's not April 1st, and it's not funny enough to be a spoof. "These rocks, which are clearly rocks, look a bit like a bee if you squint a bit"? I don't get it.
Pareidolia much?
It reminded me of this thread on what was JREF by someone calling themselves "Buzz Lightyear" who seemed to think that sandstone was created by giant silicon snakes (or something like that)

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/fo ... hp?t=75675
Have you considered stupidity as an explanation

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dyqik
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Re: Is there life on Mars?

Post by dyqik » Sun Nov 24, 2019 9:48 pm

jimbob wrote:
Sun Nov 24, 2019 9:44 pm

It reminded me of this thread on what was JREF by someone calling themselves "Buzz Lightyear" who seemed to think that sandstone was created by giant silicon snakes (or something like that)

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/fo ... hp?t=75675
Surely that's whatever drug Elon Musk is on this week, rather than sandstone.

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