I'd be flatly amazed if impact ejecta never carried any microorganisms from earth to Mars.
I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
61–70 of 268 posts
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#62> Inexplicably, over the 43 years since Viking, none of NASA’s subsequent Mars landers has carried a life detection instrument to follow up on these exciting results
I'm very surprised by that.
Especially since, as the article says, "NASA maintains the search for alien life among its highest priorities".
I thought that would obviously translate to sending life-detection instruments to B̶a̶r̶s̶o̶o̶m̶ Mars.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
It seems like one could replicate this experiment on earth and verify non-biological origins for the observed results. I'm pretty sure we're familiar with the composition of martian soil by now. Create a sample with similar composition, blast it with UV rays in an atmosphere similar to Mars, and subject the soil sample to the same test.
Why isn't just a plain old microscope used to detect microbial life?
I'm guessing this could be a potentially much faster method to search the space, if there were not too many organisms up there? If you used a robot to prepare microscope slides of random soil samples, it could take an exceedingly long time to get lucky enough to find one, even if there are a lot around.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#64I wonder if there is an incentive to NOT find life there because of what that discovery might do to slow industrialization and colonization plans. Do we need to conserve that life? Do we need to set up preserves that are off limits to development? Opens a big can of worms (or bacteria) that I imagine some would rather see kept closed
realistically mars is way more interesting if its more than a boring rock
Even with microbes it would be a boring rock.
Anybody who thinks they want to move there should camp in Antactica for ten years, first.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
I did not intend to state the implications are the end of religion; simply that many faithful will alter their faith, in no small manner.
I highly doubt that. If the genetics, the silicon revolution, access to space imagery, quality education, the internet and science in general did not alter faith in a drastic way I don't think 'life on Mars' is going to do anything either unless it comes in the form of little green creatures.
Curious that you don't recognize a significant shift in religious thought in the last century.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
> no fundamental philosophical or existential questions would be resolved If you don't consider "does life exist on other planets?" to be a fundamental, existential question, can you share an example of what you do think is such a fundamental question? Finding life on Mars wouldn't necessarily resolve any fundamental questions, but it would open up a whole new realm of questions. Is it similar to life on Earth? How s…
Sure: Is the concept of objective meaning valid in any possible universe? Is it possible for the universe to be a fully observed deterministic system? Is there a universal objective function motivating what we consider reality? Is it possible to determine with certainty the origins of what we can conceptualize as reality? Is it possible to forecast with mathematical certainty events in future time steps. Basically ju…
Wow, you're really smart! I'm glad you're here to discuss things with us.
That being said, for most people who aren't operating on your level, the fundamental existential questions haven't changed much in a few hundred years. "Are we alone in the universe?" is probably among the newest for us.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#67I get the feeling that contrary to rhetoric the search for life on Mars or anywhere else is almost an anti-priority. Not much designed to look for life has been sent since Viking in spite of direct observation of water ice, brine, and other features suggesting ideal landing sites for such experiments. If perclorates were the cause of the Viking positive as many suggest, why not send a new experiment designed to rule…
I think it's the opposite. There are scientists who are obsessed with finding extraterrestrial life because of their philosophical views regarding man's place in the universe. The fact that our universe seems primed for life has bothered so many gung ho atheistic scientists that they've conjured all sorts of semi-pseudoscientific multiverse theories (Sean Carroll). That's one part of it. The second part it's reducing…
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think it's the opposite. There are scientists who are obsessed with finding extraterrestrial life because of their philosophical views regarding man's place in the universe. The fact that our universe seems primed for life has bothered so many gung ho atheistic scientists that they've conjured all sorts of semi-pseudoscientific multiverse theories (Sean Carroll). That's one part of it. The second part it's reducing…
Why would a position on athiesm have any negative bearing on whether the universe is teaming with life? Atheism would likely posit that finding life all over the place hints that it's a common natural process.
People could also see it as evidence for a creator, e.g. that the universe is obviously fine tuned for life. Theism isn't scientifically testable or falsifiable, so science can't say much of anything about it.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure: Is the concept of objective meaning valid in any possible universe? Is it possible for the universe to be a fully observed deterministic system? Is there a universal objective function motivating what we consider reality? Is it possible to determine with certainty the origins of what we can conceptualize as reality? Is it possible to forecast with mathematical certainty events in future time steps. Basically ju…
Wow, you're really smart! I'm glad you're here to discuss things with us. That being said, for most people who aren't operating on your level, the fundamental existential questions haven't changed much in a few hundred years. "Are we alone in the universe?" is probably among the newest for us.
I'm assuming you're being sarcastic. If so it's unfortunate that just answering honestly warrants such hostility.
Re: I’m Convinced We Found Evidence of Life on Mars in the 1970s
#70> The curves from Mars were similar to those produced by LR tests of soils on Earth. It seemed we had answered that ultimate question.
Maybe it was on earth