No whiff of life on Mars, according to ScienceNOW and BBC News 19 September 2013. Scientists searching for evidence of life on Mars have been looking for methane, a gas produced by living organisms, mainly bacteria. Some scientists believe that bacteria could survive underground on Mars away from the harsh conditions on the surface. They thought they had evidence of methane in 2003 and 2004 when they analysed the spectrum of light reflected from Mars using earth based telescopes and space probes orbiting Mars. However, to really know if there is methane on Mars they needed to analyse the actual air on Mars.
They got their chance when NASA’s Curiosity robot began crawling around on the Martian surface, but after 13 months of sampling the Martian atmosphere, Curiosity has found no trace of methane on Mars. This has disappointed those looking for life outside earth, but the Curiosity scientists claim they can increase the sensitivity of the instrument and continue the search. Paul Mahaffy, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center commented: “My one-liner would be, the hunt for the elusive methane continues”.
Editorial Comment: Even if the instruments with increased sensitivity find minute traces of methane on Mars it would not prove there is life on the planet. Methane can be also produced non-biologically, such as via volcanic eruptions, and Mars is known to have had volcanoes. Approximately 5% of Earth’s methane is produced by such processes. It would be good if they would just admit their obsession with finding life on Mars is based on the belief that if life is found in places other than Earth, it will prove life can evolve by itself, without the need for a Creator God.
It is true that the God who made life on Earth, could also make it elsewhere, e.g. Mars, but thus far there is not the slightest evidence life exists anywhere else in the solar system. Also since God has told us He made the stars, planets, etc. for giving light on the earth, and serving as signs to mark seasons and times (Genesis 1:14-19), there is no compelling Theological reason to suggest He made physical life anywhere else. Please note: Genesis does not use the word “planet”, but this word simply means “moving star”, and therefore, Mars and other solar system objects are included among the stars referred to in the text of Genesis. (Ref. astrobiology, chemistry, astronomy)
Evidence News, 16 October 2013