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July, 2025

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So Methane has been coming and going near the surface of Mars

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sampsihoyos
Posts: 1939 - Karma: 910
And Europe just sent a huge 10,000 lb satellite and lander with the mission to find out what created the Methane, so far there are less than a handful of reasonable options. It could be micro biology under the surface, or geological or I don't know what. The US was going to send a NASA robot along on the same rocket and have them land and roam around searching for the cause together, like a Micheal Bay movie or something, but their budget wasn't sufficient for a new robot. What do you think caused it?

http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/03/14/massive-european-made-spacecraft-launched-toward-mars/

Any science backed answers are supremely appreciated.
9 years ago
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sampsihoyos
Posts: 1939 - Karma: 910
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/science/methane-has-never-looked-so-beautiful.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
9 years ago
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edai
Posts: 4995 - Karma: 4,701
I'm going with aliens based on my own scientific knowledge
9 years ago
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NewEscuelers
Posts: 1210 - Karma: 10,965
It's alien farts
9 years ago
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JGWI
Posts: 2842 - Karma: 7,812
Well to assume it's microorganisms would be to also assume that those microorganisms produce CH4. And on earth, only anaerobic bacteria produce CH4 as a byproduct of respiration so that means life would have had to individually evolve in such a way on mars for organisms to receive energy in a similar way as organisms on earth. Yes it's possible perhaps it's likely, however, given our current knowledge on the subject it is merely conjecture to assume it is the product of past or present lifeforms.
9 years ago
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crotchvent
Posts: 1527 - Karma: 2,185
sorry that was just me farting
9 years ago
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Panta.Pow
Posts: 111 - Karma: 310
i'm not sure 100% but i believe with the whole discovery of ice on mars i assume it may have something to do with meteor impacts with methane trapped inside of it's ice impacting the surface and remaining frozen in the planet and it has been evaporating ever since. or something like that. i hope you understand what i meant by this post.
9 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,293
don't see how this is a big deal. Pretty much all planets have methane in their atmosphere/composition. It's actually the 3rd most prevalent molecule in our solar system after hydrogen and helium.
9 years ago
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sampsihoyos
Posts: 1939 - Karma: 910
VinnieFdon't see how this is a big deal.


The big deal is there might be life on Mars, not sure how you missed that if you're Mr. Astronomy
9 years ago
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skierman
Posts: 8621 - Karma: 9,457
Ah fuck now Mars has global warming?
9 years ago
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daannnnieel
Posts: 5163 - Karma: 4,293
sampsihoyosThe big deal is there might be life on Mars, not sure how you missed that if you're Mr. Astronomy


there also might be volcanoes

there also might be asteroids that carried methane

methane might be there for literally 0 scientific reason currently available


holy fuck they detected a gas that may or may not have to do with lifeforms? Must be life.
9 years ago
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qazwsxedc34
Posts: 2955 - Karma: 2,135
Illuminati?
9 years ago
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zard_gawd
Posts: 254 - Karma: 329
skiermanAh fuck now Mars has global warming?


no global warming is a hoaks, watch a fucking GOP debate
9 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,293
sampsihoyosThe big deal is there might be life on Mars, not sure how you missed that if you're Mr. Astronomy


Does that mean there might be life on Uranus? it has methane.
9 years ago
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sampsihoyos
Posts: 1939 - Karma: 910
VinnieFDoes that mean there might be life on Uranus? it has methane.


No - it's a gas giant



:)
9 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,293
sampsihoyosNo - it's a gas giant



:)


you missed the point. there being methane on Mars does not seem very special as there are a million possibilities for how it got there. for example a planet like Uranus that can never support life has methane, none of which originated from living organisms. so considering how the solar system formed it seems much more likely it originated from the same source as the methane on other planets then it originating from life.
9 years ago
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Young_patty
Posts: 3355 - Karma: 39,481
Panta.Powi hope you understand what i meant by this post.


Oh get over your self it's not rocket surgery
9 years ago
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