webfact Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Methane 'belches' detected on MarsBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent, BBC News, San Francisco(BBC) Nasa's Curiosity rover has detected methane on Mars - a gas that could hint at past or present life on the planet.The robot sees very low-level amounts constantly in the background, but it also has monitored a number of short-lived spikes that are 10 times higher.Methane on the Red Planet is intriguing because here on Earth, 95% of the gas comes from microbial organisms.Researchers have hung on to the hope that the molecule's signature at Mars might also indicate a life presence.The Curiosity team cannot identify the source of its methane, but the leading candidate is underground stores that are periodically disturbed.Curiosity scientist Sushil Atreya said it was possible that so-called clathrates were involved."These are molecular cages of water-ice in which methane gas is trapped. From time to time, these could be destabilised, perhaps by some mechanical or thermal stress, and the methane gas would be released to find its way up through cracks or fissures in the rock to enter the atmosphere," the University of Michigan professor told BBC News.Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30456664-- BBC 2014-12-17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) Methane on the Red Planet is intriguing because here on Earth, 95% of the gas comes from microbial organisms. Of course, it could imply there's beer and Mexican restaurants on Mars. Edited December 17, 2014 by Suradit69 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pomthai Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Clearly all the alien abductions of cows have been taken to supply dairy farms and steak houses on Mars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siampolee Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) Seems as if it is a possibility that Mars may well be the destination for this worlds politicians when they pass on, all that methane gas has got to come from somewhere. Edited December 17, 2014 by siampolee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil fluffy clouds Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 How about searching for life on earth.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinmaew Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Any poms out there that remember this if it happened at all? I find it hard to believe such an advanced race would impinge on the BBC!! - Why didn't they broadcast this to all countries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw25rw Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Sure they don't mean Uranus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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