Whoops! I Hate When That Happens...
It wasn't intentional... but if scientist Dirk Schulze-Makuch is
correct, two NASA probes sent to explore the possibility of life on
Mars 30 years ago may have killed the very life they were trying to
find.
That's because the two Viking space probes of 1976-77 were
looking for signs of Earth-like life, in which salt water is the
internal liquid inside living cells. Both Viking probes conducted
tests based around that conclusion.
However, Schulze-Makuch says recent findings -- including
December's announcement by NASA that water may still flow on the
Red Planet -- suggests any possible alien life on Mars may actually
contain a mix of water and hydrogen peroxide. In a research paper
published Sunday, the scientist says such a combination of internal
ingredients would allow possible life to survive the cold, dry
conditions on Mars.
The Associated Press reports the Viking experiments weren't set
up to detect signs of alien hydrogen peroxide-based life. In fact,
the nature of those experiments would have probably killed any
traces of that life in the area.
One Viking experiment poured water on the Martian soil; another
heated the soil. Both tests would have drowned and fried,
respectively, any hydrogen-peroxide-based microbes on the
surface.
"The problem was that they didn't have any clue about the
environment on Mars at that time," Schulze-Makuch said. "This kind
of adaptation makes sense from a biochemical viewpoint."
Schulze-Makuch adds he can't prove such Martian microbes
actually exist... but given the evidence seen so far, both on Mars
and in hostile conditions on Earth, "it makes sense."
Assuming Schulze-Makuch's theory is correct, NASA may still have
a chance to put things right... if the space agency can move fast
enough. NASA's Phoenix mission to Mars is set to launch this
summer, and scientists are looking at ways to adapt the probe's
instruments to detect the kind of life Schulze-Makuch theorizes may
exist on Mars.
Schulze-Makuch's research is similar to work being performed by
the so-called "weird life" committee at the National Research
Council. The group says scientists need to think outside the
Earth-centric box when looking for life on other planets.
"You only find what you're looking for," said Penn State
University geosciences professor and NRC reviewer Katherine
Freeman.