Martian Life Confirmed?

Excerpts from two media reports followed by the abstract:

"AUSTRALIAN scientists claim to have conclusive proof that unusual
microscopic fossils found in a four billion-year-old meteorite from
Antarctica are bacterial life from Mars."
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...storyid=816517

"Two Australian scientists have developed new technology to confirm
claims by NASA that a meteorite from Mars found in Antarctica in 1984
contained microscopic fossils from the red planet. [...]

Emeritus Professor Imre Friedmann, now at NASA Ames Research Center in
California, was thrilled by the latest research which confirmed the
space agency's earlier findings.

'The study of Taylor and Barry now presents evidence that the same
features occur in a wide range of bacteria that live on Earth today,'
Prof Friedmann said.

'The tiny structures, chains of crystals of the mineral magnetite, are
comparable to animal skeletons on a microscopic scale.'"
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...E15306,00.html
__________________________________________________ ____

Here's the abstract from the Journal of Microscopy:


Magnetosomal matrix: ultrafine structure may template
biomineralization of magnetosomes

Taylor, A. P., Barry, J. C.

Journal of Microscopy; Feb2004, Vol. 213 Issue 2, p180, 18p

Abstract: The organic matrix surrounding bullet-shaped,
cubo-octahedral, D-shaped, irregular arrowhead-shaped, and truncated
hexa-octahedral magnetosomes was analysed in a variety of uncultured
magnetotactic bacteria. The matrix was examined using low- (80 kV) and
intermediate- (400 kV) voltage TEM. It encapsulated magnetosomes in
dehydrated cells, ultraviolet-B-irradiated dehydrated cells and
stained resin-embedded fixed cells, so the apparent structure of the
matrix does not appear to be an artefact of specimen preparation.
High-resolution images revealed lattice fringes in the matrix
surrounding magnetite and greigite magnetosomes that were aligned with
lattice fringes in the encapsulated magnetosomes. In all except one
case, the lattice fringes had widths equal to or twice the width of
the corresponding lattice fringes in the magnetosomes. The lattice
fringes in the matrix were aligned with the {311}, {220}, {331}, {111}
and {391} related lattice planes of magnetite and the {222} lattice
plane of greigite. An unidentified material, possibly an iron
hydroxide, was detected in two immature magnetosomes containing
magnetite. The unidentified phase had a structure similar to that of
the matrix as it contained {311}, {220} and {111} lattice fringes,
which indicates that the matrix acts as a template for the spatially
controlled biomineralization of the unidentified phase, which itself
transforms into magnetite. The unidentified phase was thus called
pre-magnetite. The presence of the magnetosomal matrix explains all of
the five properties of the biosignature of the magnetosomal chain
proposed previously by Friedmann et al. and supports their claim that
some of the magnetite particles in the carbonate globules in the
Martian meteorite ALH84001 are biogenic. Two new morphologies of
magnetite magnetosomes are also reported here (i.e. tooth-shaped and
hexa-octahedral magnetosomes). Tooth-shaped magnetite magnetosomes
elongated in the [110] direction are reported... [ABSTRACT FROM
AUTHOR]

ISSN: 0022-2720
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2004.01287.x
Accession Number: 11999596
Persistent link to this record:
http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=11999596&db=aph
Database: Academic Search Premier


Ian Goddard's Journal: http://iangoddard.net/journal.htm