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Martian methane found
Source: Agencies |
January 16, 2009, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NEW observations of the atmosphere on Mars show fairly large amounts of methane along with water vapor in the summertime - the strongest suggestion yet that living organisms might be producing the gas.
NASA scientists stressed that there is no direct evidence that anything living produced the methane, which could be produced by volcanic activity, could be made by live microbes, or could be left over from long-extinct life.
A report carried in today's issue of the journal Science details the observations, made using three telescopes in Hawaii.
"The most compelling question relates to the origin of methane on Mars. The methane we detected is of unknown age - its origin could be ancient or perhaps recent," Michael Mumma of NASA and colleagues wrote.
The methane appears to have been produced in plumes from certain areas on Mars as temperatures warmed, they said.
"Living systems produce more than 90 percent of Earth's atmospheric methane; the balance is of geochemical origin. On Mars, methane could be a signature of either origin," they added.
On Earth, methane is known as swamp gas and made by decaying plants or found in the burps and other emissions of animals from termites to cattle and people.
NASA scientists stressed that there is no direct evidence that anything living produced the methane, which could be produced by volcanic activity, could be made by live microbes, or could be left over from long-extinct life.
A report carried in today's issue of the journal Science details the observations, made using three telescopes in Hawaii.
"The most compelling question relates to the origin of methane on Mars. The methane we detected is of unknown age - its origin could be ancient or perhaps recent," Michael Mumma of NASA and colleagues wrote.
The methane appears to have been produced in plumes from certain areas on Mars as temperatures warmed, they said.
"Living systems produce more than 90 percent of Earth's atmospheric methane; the balance is of geochemical origin. On Mars, methane could be a signature of either origin," they added.
On Earth, methane is known as swamp gas and made by decaying plants or found in the burps and other emissions of animals from termites to cattle and people.
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