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Posted by George on December 29, 2006, 4:37 am
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>
>>
>> > You should read this report in its entirety:
>> >
>> > http://www.geol.umd.edu/~kaufman/ppt/G436/G436_PDF_library/Squyres05.pdf
>> >
>> > George
>>
>> When you get done with that one, I recommend you read this alternative
>> hypothesis:
>>
>> http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2005/pdf/1527.pdf
>
>
> I've read them both. Perhaps you missed this...
>
>
> Most significantly, Meridiani offers a chance not just
> to study an ancient habitable environment on Mars, but
> to search for evidence of former life there. Like many
> materials on the martian surface, the oxidized sedimentary
> rocks of Meridiani Planum are poor candidates for
> the long-term preservation of organic matter. However,
> the aqueous precipitates at Meridiani, most notably the
> hematite-rich concretions, might well retain a petrographic
> record of any microorganisms present at their
> time of formation. In addition, detailed isotopic analyses
> of Meridiani rocks have significant potential to
> reveal preserved biological signatures.
>
Whether or not there are microorganisms preserved within the nodules (which
is highly doubtful, in my view) is irrelevant to the issue of whether or
not organisms played a role in forming the nodules, or are actually the
nodules themselves (as you claim). Note that they referred to them as
precipitates, not growths.
George
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