Phoenix Lander Mission Discovers Life On Mars?

[Darryl]

Did Life on Mars once exist, or does life currently exist there now? It looks like the Phoenix Expedition Lander on Mars has found something big that is being kept under wraps until more analysis can be done. The team that was responsible for confirming the discovery of water on Mars was kept out of a recent mission briefing so no leading or probing questions could be asked that might give any real credibility to this so called big discovery, but supposedly the U.S. Presidents Office has been notified.

Sounds exciting. What do you think?

[Jaicoa]

I hope that is something that lived past or present or that certain compounds for living organism to start with. I hope it is not like the anouncement of the most recent planetary neb. found. But will wait and see in due time.

[Darryl]

If life is found on Mars whether it's dead or alive, it will be the first time life has been proved to exist other than on earth. It is extremely exciting if you can sit back and consider how man has evolved over time and that it is in our life time we find proof of life on other worlds. Like you said, I guess we will have to sit back and wait for the details to unfold.

[dmill1220]

Thats Got My attention!
Where did you get this info?
What really puzzles me is why all the secrecy? You would think that this kind of info would be hard to keep quiet. I smell a Rat so to speak, LOl

Seriously I would like to know where your source came from and where I can get updates to the mission, IF the president has been informed it has to be pretty weird.

Dennis

[Darryl]

It's certainly attracted a great deal of attention. Here is a link that was past on from the RASC mailing list about the possibility of past or present life on Mars, enjoy.

What's your call?

The White House is Briefed: Phoenix About to Announce "Potential For Life" on Mars | Universe Today

[dmill1220]

Hi Darryl,

The article seems to be very cryptic , In one sentence they deny any implications of life or past life.

Quote: Scientists are keen to point out however, that this secretive news will in no way indicate the existence of life (past or present) on Mars; Phoenix simply is not equipped make this discovery; End Quote.

What could possibly be so important that the presidential office had to be informed and everything is being kept under wraps, if the above quote is true?

Sensationalism? maybe, the article also says that this announcement will be huge.
OK so they cant confirm Life or past life, and the Martian soil is comparable to ours, so what else could require such secrecy?

for all the reasons I mentioned, this has got me stumped, I can't wait to hear the whole report, or will we ever get the truth?

I don't understand, what could be so huge besides the past evidence or presence of life?, its certainly not that the Soil could maintain life, did the cameras capture something in the background that cannot be confirmed?

I will be watching this one closely, in the meantime I'll try a couple of other forums to see what people are theorizing about this new secret discovery.

Thanks Darryl!

[Nokton]

Originally Posted by Darryl

Did Life on Mars once exist, or does life currently exist there now? It looks like the Phoenix Expedition Lander on Mars has found something big that is being kept under wraps until more analysis can be done. The team that was responsible for confirming the discovery of water on Mars was kept out of a recent mission briefing so no leading or probing questions could be asked that might give any real credibility to this so called big discovery, but supposedly the U.S. Presidents Office has been notified.

Sounds exciting. What do you think?

Darryl, dear friend,
Think on this, how would the stock markets respond to an alien contact. How would religious leaders respond to evidence of alien
life, (in particular if it was more intelligent.) In the history of man, when a
more advanced race has made contact with a less advanced one, terminus for the less advanced.
If even a living bacteria was found on Mars, the repercussions on many
current ideologies would cause confusion and distress.
But, my friend, are we not here to find the truth, no matter it hurts,
are we not about truth that is science based?
Glad you back, hope you enjoyed your hol,
Nokton

[dmill1220]

Originally Posted by Nokton

Darryl, dear friend,
Think on this, how would the stock markets respond to an alien contact. How would religious leaders respond to evidence of alien
life, (in particular if it was more intelligent.) In the history of man, when a
more advanced race has made contact with a less advanced one, terminus for the less advanced.
If even a living bacteria was found on Mars, the repercussions on many
current ideologies would cause confusion and distress.
But, my friend, are we not here to find the truth, no matter it hurts,
are we not about truth that is science based?
Glad you back, hope you enjoyed your hol,
Nokton

Hi Peter<

The US has a blanket that they can use to cover up or deny anything at all they can even shut the scientists up that have worked so hard on this what is it called when they do that well of course National Security!

Dennis

[Nokton]

Originally Posted by dmill1220

Hi Peter<

The US has a blanket that they can use to cover up or deny anything at all they can even shut the scientists up that have worked so hard on this what is it called when they do that well of course National Security!

Dennis

Hi Dennis, am well aware reading New Scientist, how your current administration stifles science that is not in line with the current politic,
or economic process, even though the scientific basis is sound.
But, the internet has one advantage beyond all others, freedom of
expression, of ideas, of opinions. The Administration has no power in this
realm. Your opinion, mine, and the opinion of many members of this forum
cannot be blanked out or shut up in this realm.
Dennis, hope you well and happy.
Touch my cap to you, you will understand the gesture.
Peter

[dmill1220]

Hi Folks,

I did a little digging online at NASA's Phoenix Site to try and gain some more clues as to what all the secrecy is about regarding the latest findings.

From the article I read, it appears as though the secrecy might involve the TEGA Findings of the latest soil analysis. They seem to have found Perchlorate's.

Quote:
Perchlorate is an ion, or charged particle, that consists of an atom of chlorine surrounded by four oxygen atoms. It is an oxidant, that is, it can release oxygen, but it is not a powerful one.

Perchlorate's are found naturally on Earth at such places as Chile's hyper-arid Atacama Desert. The compounds are quite stable and do not destroy organic material under normal circumstances.

Some microorganisms on Earth are fueled by processes that involve perchlorate, and some plants concentrate the substance. Perchlorate's are also used in rocket fuel and fireworks.

Perchlorate was discovered with a multi-use sensor that detects perchlorate, nitrate and other ions.

The MECA team saw the perchlorate signal in a sample taken from the Dodo-Goldilocks trench on June 25, or Sol 30, or the 30th Martian day of the mission after landing, and again in another sample taken from the Snow White trench on July 6, or Sol 41.

When TEGA heated a sample of soil dug from the Dodo-Goldilocks trench on Sol 25 to high temperature, it detected an oxygen release, according to TEGA lead scientist William Boynton of the University of Arizona.

Perchlorate could be one of several possible sources of this oxygen.

Late last week, when TEGA analyzed another sample, this one from the Snow White trench, the TEGA team looked for chlorine gas. The instrument detected none.

"Had they seen it, the identification of perchlorate would be absolutely clear, but in this run they did not see any chlorine gas.

Apparently they may have been analyzing a perchlorate salt that doesn't release chlorine gas upon heating," Boynton said. "There's nothing in the TEGA data that contradicts MECA's finding of perchlorate."
END QUOTE:

Well I find this extremely interesting, and from what I can gather by putting the pieces together we have confirmed water ice with the Phoenix mission and when the soil is heated, Oxygen is released.

It seems to me that these latest findings indicate that we may be able to make use of the Martian soil to help us with further manned exploratory missions.

I can't wait to hear what else might have been found that they are still keeping under wraps for now.

here is the link, NASA - Phoenix Mars Team Opens Window on Scientific Process

Dennis