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Published online 21 October 2008 | 455, 1018 (2008) | doi:10.1038/4551018a
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Plumes of methane identified on Mars
Finding could influence choice of landing site for Mars Science Laboratory.
Ithaca, New York
More than four years after researchers first said they had found methane gas on Mars, a scientist claims that he has "nailed" the controversial detection and identified key sources of the gas.
On Earth, methane is mostly biological in origin; on Mars, it could signal microbes living deep underground.
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Mars missions run on hypergolic contact of compacted dollar bills and credulity. Send a polarimeter to detect biological homochirality or stop flogging a dead horse. Nature 226 251 (1970) "Indigenous Lunar Methane and Ethane" 6 ppm methane in Apollo lunar regiolith. THE MOON IS ALIVE! Horsefeathers.
"the work of a few thousand cows. But plumes of 60 parts per billion that live for less than a year imply a methane-production rate several orders of magnitude higher"...there are 10,000 cows on Mars?...cool!
"Uncle Al" why dont you pipe down. You wouldn't recognise a martian (microbe) if one came and smacked you on the face. What makes you believe there is no life on Mar's?
There is another possibility for a methane source. That is degradation of silicones produced in the distant past by reaction of silica dust with an ancient methane atmosphere. See http://charles_w.tripod.com/mars.html .
Uncle Al, have we detected any organic molecules that would have chirality if they were organic? Do we have any instruments that could detect them? Do we have any instruments small enough and light enough for putting on MSL or on an orbiter, or could we use it from the big binoculars in Hawaii?