Jake Huffman
4/30/14
Pledged
Summary on The Hunt for Life on Mars
In The Hunt for Life on Mars the author, Donald Goldsmith, provides a very in depth look into
the extensive search for life on the planet Mars. He gives us details of the history of exploring mars,
future endeavors, and discoveries that have been made in this enormous, yet exciting task. He spends
most of the book discussing a rock, ALH 84001, that is believed to be from Mars and contains evidence
that has led scientists to believe that at one point there was life and could still be life hiding somewhere
on the red planet.
“I think humans will reach Mars, and I would like to see it happen in my lifetime” was said by Buzz Aldrin, a NASA astronaut. The former American aeronaut from Montclair, New Jersey believes that since Mars does exist, it is waiting to be reached by humans. When this would happen, he says that the human race would “evolve into a two-planet species.” Present day Mars has a lot of canyons, mountains and volcanoes. Even though the surface is Mars is very old, scientists learned about different younger rift valleys, plains, hills and ridges. According to recent reports, there were lakes and rivers, along with an ocean billions of years ago. The low temperatures on the planet cause there to be polar ice caps and frozen water present. Scientists continue to notice several discoveries on the planet that lead them to think there was once life on the planet. Different clues have scientists wanting to find out about even more. Many scientists in the past few centuries have been curious if life on Mars is possible or if it has ever been before.
Mars:
Is There Life Out There?
Since 1976, when the Viking Landers took off toward the red planet, people have been wondering if there is life on Mars. There have been questions of pictures taken from Mars and skepticism about why some of the recent landings have failed. Scientists, up till now, have been doubtful about life on Mars.
Earth has a tremendous amount of complex creatures and extreme organisms living on, under or, above its surface in most any imaginable place. Certain creatures such as the giant tube worm, tardigrades, loricifera and, ice worms are real species of animals living on our own plant that are capable of surviving the most harsh conditions known to mankind. Now, one may ask themselves, “If these creatures can survive such conditions as those on Earth, why couldn’t they do the same on Mars?” This paper will explore where life may possibly be hiding on Mars, if there is any at all, what is the energy source to life on Mars and, would our Earth species be harmful or invasive to possible Martian life, ect. There are many factors to investigate in order to develop and idea of what certain situations would bring in scientific revelation to our species’ knowledge, so let’s get started.
intelligent life. While scientists had suspected for quite a while that Mars, in particular the Martian atmosphere, could not sustain intelligent life, it wasn’t until the Mariner missions sent back images of the surface and analyses of the atmosphere that all doubt was laid to rest. Thus authors writing prior to the ...
Mars has intrigued mankind for centuries, and ever since “War of the Worlds” caused mass hysteria over all of America, we have wondered if there is, or ever has been life on Mars. In today’s age of technology, we know that there are no little green men running around on Mars, and our attention has shifted to the location and analysis of Martian water and its history. That is the primary reason for the Martian Ice and Water Analysis Mission, or MIWA Mission. Following the primary Martian exploration plan of “Follow the Water,” the MIWA Mission is the next logical step in our exploration and research of Martian water. This mission will not only expand on the findings of the Mars Phoenix mission and the failed Mars Polar Lander, but it will do so from the heart of the biggest known Martian ice reservoir: the North Pole. Also, the relative simplicity and fairly lax technology development deadlines of the mission, coupled with the use of previous, proven technologies, all but guarantees the mission’s success.
Cohen, Jack, and Ian Stewart. What Does a Martian Look Like?: The Science of Extraterrestrial Life.
One of the most common unanswered questions scientists find themselves asking is "Is there life on other planets?" Since the first famously documented UFO sighting in 1947, the idea of extra-terrestrial life has been debated almost non-stop. The subject has inspired many TV programs, such as The X-Files, and films (Mars Attacks, Independence Day, and the Men in Black films to name but a few). Scientists have come up with many new ideas and ways of trying to either prove or disprove the existence of life elsewhere.
Situation
NASA’s latest mars rover, Curiosity, is currently exploring mats, on a mission to determine wheather life could exist there. If we’re going to colonize mars - and some scientists say we must - its likely that we’ll start by terraforming. Terraforming, or planetary engineering, is the process of altering the climate of a planet to be more hospitable to life and human exploration. Of all the bodies in the solar system, Mars is by far the best candidate.
Why mars?
“Sheltered as we are by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, which deflect lethal radiation from space, we are like coddled children who have never ventured into a tough neighborhood” (Folger 2). Humans have been fascinated with space since the beginning of our time. Just like children and rough neighborhoods, we have tackled obstacle over obstacle to make it home again. In the end, we have a better knowledge and strength than before. The future of space exploration can assist us in answering the everlasting question of how the universe came to be. The more we explore the infinite galaxies, the more we can scientifically discover and create new technologies as science advances. As we continue to discover, we can create new fields and occupations for aspiring young students like myself.