Hostile-to-Life Substance Found in Martian Soil

Hostile-to-Life Substance Found in Martian Soil

dsc.discovery.com

Aug. 5, 2008 -- NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has detected the presence of a chemically reactive salt in the Martian soil, a finding that if confirmed could make it less friendly to potential life than once believed.

Scientists previously reported that the soil near Mars' north pole was similar to backyard gardens on Earth where plants such as asparagus, green beans and turnips could grow. But preliminary results from a second lab test found perchlorate, a highly oxidizing salt, that would create a harsh environment.

The first test "suggested Earth-like soil. Further analysis has revealed un-Earthlike aspects of the soil chemistry," chief scientist Peter Smith of the University of Arizona in Tucson said in a statement Monday.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Huh!?!?! I guess the soil on mars is harsher than was first reported by NASA

dsc.discovery.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

lol of course its "hostile"

I take this news with a grain of salt.. pun intended.

Thats pretty normal for a planet in Mars current state.
I dunno what this article is suppsed to mean?

Someone didnt have anything else to publish lol?

Hostile to Earth life... One thing historical science has proven to us is that life will adapt to hostile environments and turn that negative into a benefit for them. Even on Earth I'm sure there are some species of plants and animals that have no adversity to highly oxidizing compunds.

This is already being discussed here. www.abovetopsecret.com...'.

[edit on 5-8-2008 by LiquidMirage]

Very important.

Honestly, I was waiting for this. They HAD to back off some of those statements.
Their initial statements about the soil chemistry was a near-admission of microbial activity.

-"Discovery of Perchlorate on Mars
NASA reports that: "Within the last month [July 2008], two samples have been analyzed by the Wet Chemistry Lab of the spacecraft's Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer, or MECA, suggesting one of the soil constituents may be perchlorate, a highly oxidizing substance." It is still unknown whether the perchlorate originates from the space ship or if it occurs naturally on Mars.[13]

However, the source of the perchlorate has not yet been evaluated fully, and may represent possible extra-Martian (Earth-sourced) contamination via the Phoenix lander itself. This is however unlikely since the Phoenix used ultrapure hydrazine for its retro rockets, and the perchlorate was found below the surface and at concentrations higher than would be expected from contamination during Earth launch operations."


But don't worry. Just becasue asparagus farming is now off the agenda, that doesn't mean much. Perchlorate is common on earth. It's soluble. Not too "dangerous" to Life IMO.

Anyway, we have lots of bugs in all kinds of toxic and hostile environments right here at home.
seattlepi.nwsource.com...