Much is being made about the presence of 'organic' compounds discovered in Jezero Crater on Mars, by the Perseverance Rover recently. News headlines seem to infer that it is proof of life on the red planet, or at least a smoking gun, to indicate that it was present in the distant past. However, we are coming up to the 'silly season' for the press and perhaps the information is being misrepresented.
The official JPL Mars Perseverance site has nothing in the news section recently, to indicate such findings and the story behind the headlines, as published in Nature, is keen to point out that the molecules, although organic, are not necessarily evidence of life and only increase the 'possibility of a possibility'. JPL say that the compounds may have been deposited from a meteor shower, or have been created naturally.
The original Viking Lander mission, over 40 years ago apparently discovered traces of salient compounds, but it is suggested that the scientific processes, used to detect the presence of life, may have accidentally destroyed it again. One of the experiments used by the probe, added water to the samples and scientist now think that it may have been too much for the delicate dehydrated organics.
https://www.space.com/41689-nasa-viking-mars-life-search-gil-levin.html
https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/nasa-rover-reveals-new-evidence-about-organic-molecules-mars-2023-07-13/
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/news/
Planets it would appear are ten a penny, physics and chemistry are universal, so if there is life here and nowhere else, something really peculiar is going on.
ReplyDeleteGood photos by the way!
Thats very philosophical Kev! First four Bowie-esque ones are al A.I generated! Rest are Bill Generated!
ReplyDeleteDon't think theres any life there now, but there may have been primitive lifeforms millions of years ago.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we'll find out eventually.
Love your pics Bill. Unsure about AI generally. It's an ancient question, perhaps THE question, is there anybody out there. I like the phrase you used, the possibility of a possibility! Neat post.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing to be concerned about with AI, its just the latest moral panic and virtual folk devil. At the end of the day its a man made tool and should just be regarded as such and not coloured with the myriad science fiction tropes that have surrounded the concept over the years. Bill
ReplyDeleteHollywood actors and writers are striking over AI among other things.
DeleteOf course that might not be Bill saying that......
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly the trouble with AI - it muddies the concept of “real” vs “fake,” until one is unclear what is reality. Like every other technological “advance,” it all looks good on paper, until persons with vested interests use it towards their inevitable nefarious agenda. It’s been true throughout history. For goodness sake, there’s even a movie coming out soon about how wonderful it was for the US to invent the Atom Bomb! Wonderful?!?! Tell it to the Japanese!!! SFZ
DeleteNo life on Mars to speak of, currently. Possibly in some prehistory. But is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? Of course! Only a myopic nitwit could think otherwise! SFZ
ReplyDeletedaisy, daisy give me your answer do..
ReplyDeleteCan I? Should I be that guy??? Of course its where humans came from, our history over the last 100,000 years is foggy at best.....
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the sh## to fly
Sh*t. Flies? The beginnings of life right there!
ReplyDelete