Could there be Life on Mars?
That question is a step closer to being answered today, with NASA scientists announcing significant findings by the rover, Opportunity, on its trip to Mars. They’ve discovered that the rocks the rover landed on – near the Red Planet’s equator – were once drenched in water. We speak to Mark Adler, Deputy Project Manager of NASA’s Mars Mission.
Out of all planets in the solar system besides Earth, life on Mars seems most likely, even though the chance is small, probably less than 1%. Astronomers have speculated about the possibility ever since they saw “canals” on Mars with early telescopes, as well as glimpsing the presence of ice caps. The flurry of excitement that Mars’ “canals” generated upon their discovery gave birth to the popular culture notion of Martians. It eventually became obvious that these canals were natural formations, but the speculation around life on Mars continued anyway. The direct search for life on Mars began in the 1970s, when the Viking landers were sent there, with their primary mission being the analysis of Martian soil for microorganisms. They found none, including no organic molecules at all. A more recent lander, Phoenix, arrived on Mars in 2008 with more sensitive equipment and repeated the tests, again finding nothing. Extensive testing will likely have to wait until the human visitation and l
Check out how scientists look for signs of life in outer space. • Read about the photos from Mars and what scientists think they mean. • Click a photo for more information. Then click the Back arrow. • To read another article about water on Mars, click More Headlines at the bottom of the page. • Click Year 2000 News Archive at the bottom of the page. • Look for “December 04”; then click Sedimentary Mars.
