we're all martians

[catterpillar]

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8533660%255E15306,00.html :hmm:

[Devilock138]

People are way to addicted to science fiction. Not barring a divine miracle, how did 'microbes' survive?

a) The vacuum of space for months; possibly years travelling the expanse between Mars and Earth.
b) How did a meteorite 'come from mars'? Was it launched by the green men? It would have to be volcanic... and it is.
c) Reentry anyone? They say it gets a little warm (life doesn't like temperatures ranging into the 1,000s of degrees).
d) It was magmatic. I'm sure the volcanic eruption that spat it into space harmlessly picked up some microbes along the way.

Or, instead of science based on conjecture and vague pretense, a simpler explanation:

"Scientists have fiercely debated whether the ancient, microscopic compounds were deposited by ancient bacteria or natural chemical reactions - and whether such bacteria was Martian or moved in after the meteorite fell to earth." - article

Common sense = the latter.

[catterpillar]

meteors aren't caused by volcanic eruption, they're caused by bigger meteors bouncing off planets. if there were microbes in that meteor they would have been embedded in the rock. the article clearly states that such microbes could easily survive interplanetary conditions, as well as planetfall itself. I'm not saying we're all from mars, I think it would be cooler if we weren't, as it would indicate a greater chance of abundant life in the universe if it started from scratch on two planets in the one solar system. what fascinates me most is that they've proven the fossilised microbes in that meteor could not have come from earth. that means life from another planet!

[staylor]

Just a thought, but a meteor impact probably launched that rock from Mars to Earth and life could survive such a trip. Case in point, some equipment was brought up to the moon where it was checked on by Apollo astronauts only to find mold growing on it. Turns out some engineer sneezed on it. That's why NASA is so paranoid about our bacteria contaminating other planets, because it definately can survive the trip. Of course, I doubt that Mars is the source of Earth life, but it makes for an interesting story.

[Devilock138]

That's true, but it is a magmatic rock.

And the scientists who studied it didn't find any sulfuric compunds you'd normally associate with life.

Plus it doesn't explain how it could survive the heat of entry.

I don't believe life came from mars. I just think that's looking waaaay to far off the map.

[ClocktowerArtworks]

space is dumb

[Devilock138]

Originally posted by catterpillar
What fascinates me most is that they've proven the fossilised microbes in that meteor could not have come from earth. that means life from another planet!

Actually, they haven't. Some have speculated on it as being a possibility, but beyond that its really impossible to tell. I mean, the thing is 3 billion years older then any other fragment found. A number of researchers say it looks like it could be heat fusion for all they can tell. Good science isn't based on conjecture. Its based on being able to be tested.

[AnarchyAo2]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm American.

[catterpillar]

what the fuck's that supposed to mean? duh I'm not american? does that make me too barbarian to understand simple science?

[ClocktowerArtworks]

catterpillar...think for just a moment about who said that...AnarchyAo2...(aka. King of Stupid Comments)...and i believe he meant that he is American as opposed to being a martian.

and i'll say again...space is dumb

[AnarchyAo2]

No, catterpillar was right.

Clock: Yeah, your right, we should just keep on trashing the planet we live on and not the ones with nothing on them. Thats why space is dumb.

BTW, I'm Hamburglerian.