Scientist "SAY STRONGEST EVIDENCE YET" about life on mars!

Wow its about time they have come out with this news.

Martians may well have existed, and still be on the red planet - but not in any recognisable form, British scientists said today. Scientists believe the discovery of minerals below the Red Planet's surface is the 'strongest evidence yet' it may have supported life. But far from hosting little green men, our celestial neighbour was likely inhabited by simple microorganisms.

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen looked at data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and ESA's Mars Express spacecrafts and analysed rocks and found they contain clays and minerals whose chemical make-up has been altered by water

A new study led by the Natural History Museum, with the University of Aberdeen, found that all the ingredients for life were present just below the planet's surface for much of its history. When meteorites strike the surface of Mars, they act like natural probes, bringing up rocks from far beneath the crust.

Dr Joseph Michalski, lead author and planetary geologist at the Natural History Museum said: 'All the ingredients were there for life, but only small single-cell organisms could have survived in those conditions. 'But I would now be more surprised if there was never any life on Mars, than I would be if we did one day discover that simple life lived in that environment. 'And if life existed then, there is a chance it could still exist now.

Wow this is a huge announcement. In the back of my mind i always knew there had to be life outside of our planet. Just think of the possibilities,how much more life could be in our solar system !

When i first found out about them sending humans to colonize mars i was partial to the idea, but now that they are saying there are microorganisms i think it time we sent people up there to begin excavating mars.

What do you guys think?

Source

"That's one giant discovery for man, one small step for mankind."

S&F

I don't think so that they said there's life out there, they only confirmed the largely accepted idea amongst scientist that there had to be some kind of life on Mars in its history.
Until we can see the little critters under the microscope there is no life at the moment.

Wow this is a huge announcement.

I can't see anything new with this?

In the back of my mind i always new there had to be life outside of our planet.

"know" or "believe" should be separated. But yes, I think a big part of the people "believe".

Just think of the possibilities,how much more life could be in our solar system !

More than on Earth? Well.. we'll still trying to figure that out.

but now that they are saying there are microorganisms

No one's saying that. We've had indications of that for years, but that hasn't changed.

What do you guys think?

That you have misinterpreted your quotes.

reply to post by Nevertheless


Huh thats funny that felt like you were personally attacking me im only reporting what scientist are now saying take it for what you want.

For me this is a huge announcement maybe not for you but if not carry on!

reply to post by Nevertheless


Wasn't it already confirmed that at one point in time there had been microbial life on mars? They found a "supposed" fossil of it not long ago, although I can't confirm if this has been legitimately announced. Still pretty cool IMO

Originally posted by misse2miss
Huh thats funny that felt like you were personally attacking me

Don't worry, I have no interest in you as a person, I'm merely pointing out that you have misinterpreted the story and relaying something that is not true.

im only reporting what scientist are now saying

No you aren't. They are saying, as previously, that there may be (or have been) microbes on Mars. This is exactly what we already know. New "evidence" come into light quite often, the standpoint, scientifically speaking, hasn't changed.

Originally posted by slapjacks
Wasn't it already confirmed that at one point in time there had been microbial life on mars?

By whom?

They found a "supposed" fossil of it not long ago

Yes, supposed fossils aren't extremely uncommon, but they have only managed to enhance our suspicions so far.

Originally posted by Nevertheless

Originally posted by misse2miss
Huh thats funny that felt like you were personally attacking me

Don't worry, I have no interest in you as a person, I'm merely pointing out that you have misinterpreted the story.

im only reporting what scientist are now saying

No you aren't. They are saying, as previously, that there may be (or have been) microbes on Mars. This is exactly what we already know. New "evidence" come into light quite often, the standpoint, scientifically speaking, hasn't changed.

Excuse me, yes i am i am reporting what British scientist have just now said as of January 20th 2013 please go troll somewhere else!

I read an interesting article i thought other people may have been interested in as well! I put my own opinion's on my own thread! You have no reason to come on my thread and basically say it is irrelevant i am happy you are so informed of everything but i just hope their is one person who reads this that didn't know what British scientists have just now stated. But hey before i post a new topic perhaps i should clear it with you to make sure you don't already know everything about it!

The main reason to believe there has been life on Mars is the duration of Martian day. It is 24 h 37 m, which is very close to Earth's day duration. However, Mars doesn't have any significant magnetosphere, so probably the planet died long ago and some species migrated to Earth. When did it happen? Well, it is well known that the native Earth inhabitants were dinosaurs. They were cold-blooded because it was quite warm here. But martian species had to be warm-blooded, because it was colder on Mars. So probably most of today's lifeforms on Earth originated on Mars.

Originally posted by misse2miss
Excuse me, yes i am i am reporting what British scientist have just now said as of January 20th 2013 please go troll somewhere else!

Again, no you have not. You have posted quotes of which none says that there is or has been life on Mars.
Please reread carefully and pay attention to the "may", "believe", "if", and the ingredients for life being there (not actual life).

How is telling facts trolling, to you?

I read an interesting article i thought other people may have been interested in as well!

That is completely fine by me.

I put my own opinion's on my own thread!

No, you claimed things that were not correct. If you managed to misinterpret it, then other people could get the wrong picture of your words and also miss what was really being said.
If I see misinformation, I try doing something about it. Isn't that a good thing?

You have no reason to come on my thread and basically say it is irrelevant

The only reason why I responded was the twist that you put into it.

i am happy you are so informed of everything but i just hope their is one person who reads this that didn't know what British scientists have just now stated.

It seems like you have misinterpreted me as well.
This has nothing to do with what I already know. It has to do with your misinterpretation of the article.

But hey before i post a new topic perhaps i should clear it with you to make sure you don't already know everything about it!

Again, this has nothing to with what I already know. It has to do with your misinterpretation of the article.

reply to post by misse2miss


The meteor found near Sri Lanka took away my interest on whether life ever existed on Mars. I'm waiting for the scientific community to peer review the findings of microorganisms in that meteor!

Originally posted by slapjacks
reply to post by Nevertheless

 

Wasn't it already confirmed that at one point in time there had been microbial life on mars? They found a "supposed" fossil of it not long ago, although I can't confirm if this has been legitimately announced. Still pretty cool IMO

No, it was never confirmed that there had been life on Mars. The supposed "fossil" was bad science by a fringe scientist. All we have so far is the signs that, in the past, the environment on Mars has been life-friendly.

There has been NO discovery of life, past or present, anywhere else except Earth.

What scientists don't seem to understand is that we really don't give a s*** about indications of microorganisms or bacteria or lichens or whatever, anywhere.

Who cares? That kind of stuff is probably all the hell over the place. All we want to know is: Where is ET? When they find ET, then give us a call....

Originally posted by misse2miss
What do you guys think?

It's all just a lot of conjecture until somebody comes up with clear and unambiguous evidence of an organism or fossil. Clear. Unambiguous. Just having the chemicals available, or the "chance" for life is a completely different thing than actual life existing. There is a chance that monkeys could fly out of your butt, too.

Originally posted by Ex_CT2
What scientists don't seem to understand is that we really don't give a s*** about indications of microorganisms or bacteria or lichens or whatever, anywhere.

Who cares? That kind of stuff is probably all the hell over the place. All we want to know is: Where is ET? When they find ET, then give us a call....

We? ... Speak for yourself. I would consider news of microorganisms living on Mars or any other place than Earth a groundbreaking discovery.

Where there is bacteria, there may be higher organisms.

Originally posted by Ex_CT2
Who cares? That kind of stuff is probably all the hell over the place. All we want to know is: Where is ET? When they find ET, then give us a call....

Honestly, most people don't really even care about that. There are plenty of intelligent beings from strange and exotic locations here on Earth, and most people couldn't be bothered to find out about them. People like the idea of Star Trek space aliens, but if we ever found some, it wouldn't take long for us to start ignoring (or hating) them, too.

I don't see anything wrong with what the OP is saying. This is about what the research implies to the scientific study group which is not about anything Curiosity has or may come up with, and that includes speculating the possibility of current microorganisms on Mars. That's with the Mars based scientific observations to back it up, whereas in the past it was secondhand, possible fossil in a meteorite.

Originally posted by Blue Shift

Originally posted by Ex_CT2
Who cares? That kind of stuff is probably all the hell over the place. All we want to know is: Where is ET? When they find ET, then give us a call....

Honestly, most people don't really even care about that. There are plenty of intelligent beings from strange and exotic locations here on Earth, and most people couldn't be bothered to find out about them. People like the idea of Star Trek space aliens, but if we ever found some, it wouldn't take long for us to start ignoring (or hating) them, too.

Truth in that, those that don't care, like Etc are just ignoring the fact that nobody really knows who 'WE' are.
Even the Op's link acknowledges that with a careful read.
Ignoring is akin to indifference, something born out of ignorance, even with the big telly sitting in the corner, as if the telly is always telling us exactly what is happening around the world, when patently that is not always so.
That's why I like these small research groups, all beavering away with the info that they can lay their hands on.

I'd like to see a link to the original source, or at least a reputable popular science site, where those findings and conclusions are discussed. The OP linked to Daily Mail, a tabloid notorious for sensationalising and bad journalism.

P.S. found one, straight from the horse's mouth: www.abdn.ac.uk...

Basically, all it's saying is that there are signs that there had been water underground.