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Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 25th 04, 10:18 AM
EK
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars

Never been to Mars, don't know what it could be :-). Also, by "any natural
process" you probably mean nature on our planet. We simply don't know enough
about "nature" on Mars to jump into any conclusions by just looking at some
shapes on photographs. Anyway, I havee seen similar "structures" on Earch,
too: just look under some rocks after rain. Also, if I look on the picture
you posted long enough, I start seeing impressions or faces with distinctly
recognizable eyes, nostrils and beaks. Do you think these are fossil
impressions? What about those little dark and light grains - bacteria? :-)

"Informer" wrote in message
ink.net...
After Opportunity used the RAT to shave through one of the rocks in the
outcrop it revealed at least two puzzling, fossil-like structures. See
attached enhancement. Can anyone explain what this might be? One looks
like the "positive" and the other the "negative" impression within the

folds
of the rock. I cannot think of any natural process that would created
stuctures like this. They truly look like fossils but I am not jumping to
any conclusions. Have a gander for yourself and post your thoughts.






  #2  
Old February 25th 04, 12:41 PM
Bob Riddle
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars

I think the best way to sum up comparisons Mars and Earth is to borrow the
title from a beautiful color poster of the 2 planets from NASA. It says
"Earth and Mars - As Different As They Are Alike"

Clear Skies...
Bob Riddle
Starwalk, Inc.
http://currentsky.com
==================
"EK" wrote in message
...
Never been to Mars, don't know what it could be :-). Also, by "any natural
process" you probably mean nature on our planet. We simply don't know enough
about "nature" on Mars to jump into any conclusions by just looking at some
shapes on photographs. Anyway, I havee seen similar "structures" on Earch,
too: just look under some rocks after rain. Also, if I look on the picture
you posted long enough, I start seeing impressions or faces with distinctly
recognizable eyes, nostrils and beaks. Do you think these are fossil
impressions? What about those little dark and light grains - bacteria? :-)

"Informer" wrote in message
ink.net...
After Opportunity used the RAT to shave through one of the rocks in the
outcrop it revealed at least two puzzling, fossil-like structures. See
attached enhancement. Can anyone explain what this might be? One looks
like the "positive" and the other the "negative" impression within the

folds
of the rock. I cannot think of any natural process that would created
stuctures like this. They truly look like fossils but I am not jumping to
any conclusions. Have a gander for yourself and post your thoughts.







  #3  
Old February 25th 04, 12:55 PM
Lesley Robertson
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars


"Informer" wrote in message
ink.net...
After Opportunity used the RAT to shave through one of the rocks in the
outcrop it revealed at least two puzzling, fossil-like structures.


Can't make any sort of guess without an idea of the scale.
Lesley Robertson


  #4  
Old February 25th 04, 07:53 PM
Not My Name
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars

If you see here fossiles of worms (and spherules), it might be because the
ancient martian life forms used this place to .. you know. I suppose they
don't have any gas evaporation measurement device on board? What a smell!

If we ever find life (existing) in Mars, what energy it would possibly use
to sustain it's growth?
Most of life in earth benefits on other life forms. Even soil is full of
life and product of life.
The only existing life I could imagine would be something that uses the
energy of the Sun. If there were life it had been there a long long time.
This means that if we see some we will see a plenty of it or nothing at
all.


On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 06:57:13 +0000, Informer
wrote:

After Opportunity used the RAT to shave through one of the rocks in the
outcrop it revealed at least two puzzling, fossil-like structures. See
attached enhancement. Can anyone explain what this might be? One looks
like the "positive" and the other the "negative" impression within the folds
of the rock. I cannot think of any natural process that would created
stuctures like this. They truly look like fossils but I am not jumping to
any conclusions. Have a gander for yourself and post your thoughts.


  #5  
Old February 25th 04, 08:38 PM
Volker Hetzer
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars


"Not My Name" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news
If you see here fossiles of worms (and spherules), it might be because the
ancient martian life forms used this place to .. you know. I suppose they
don't have any gas evaporation measurement device on board? What a smell!

If we ever find life (existing) in Mars, what energy it would possibly use
to sustain it's growth?

It could use chemical energy by oxydizing stuff, it could use the energy
of mars' molten core (does it have one?) or it could *have* used
anything when it was available and have gone dormant since then. Spores
can endure hostile environments for a really long time. There is speculation
about bacteria being able to endure millions of years in space rocks as
long as they are shielded from the radiation.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker

  #6  
Old February 26th 04, 08:30 AM
Informer
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars

The scale:

The drilled area is 4.5 centimeters across. I can't image the structures
are more than a couple of millimeters across.


"Lesley Robertson" wrote in message
...

"Informer" wrote in message
ink.net...
After Opportunity used the RAT to shave through one of the rocks in the
outcrop it revealed at least two puzzling, fossil-like structures.


Can't make any sort of guess without an idea of the scale.
Lesley Robertson




  #7  
Old February 26th 04, 10:16 AM
Lesley Robertson
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars


"Informer" wrote in message
k.net...
The scale:

The drilled area is 4.5 centimeters across. I can't image the structures
are more than a couple of millimeters across.

At first glance, they looked like bacteria, but in that case, they're far
too big for that.
Lesley Robertson
http://www.beijerinck.bt.tudelft.nl


  #8  
Old February 26th 04, 01:16 PM
Volker Hetzer
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars


"Lesley Robertson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag ...

"Informer" wrote in message
k.net...
The scale:

The drilled area is 4.5 centimeters across. I can't image the structures
are more than a couple of millimeters across.

At first glance, they looked like bacteria, but in that case, they're far
too big for that.
Lesley Robertson
http://www.beijerinck.bt.tudelft.nl

Well, yes, but it's another planet, see? Maybe that's what bacteria were on mars.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker
  #9  
Old February 26th 04, 07:11 PM
EK
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars


Well, yes, but it's another planet, see? Maybe that's what bacteria were

on mars.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker


So what? Let's write a fiction novel now! Let's assume then that bacteria
(for what it's worth posting this in sci.bio.microbiology :-)) on Mars were
huge, sevearl miles in diameter, made of invisible to our eye matter, and
had CO2 cell wall.When they rolled down on the surface of the planet, they
left markings that we now identify as "Channels", and then when they died,
they travelled to poles and decomposed there, leaving huge piles of
membranous CO2 behind to form what we call Polar Caps. Or, buy the way, they
might as well still live on Mars - under the surface - and use craters as
entry ports to their dens. :-)



  #10  
Old February 27th 04, 09:53 AM
Volker Hetzer
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Default Wormlike Structures in Meridiani Outcrop on Mars


"EK" schrieb im Newsbeitrag ...

Well, yes, but it's another planet, see? Maybe that's what bacteria were

on mars.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker


So what? Let's write a fiction novel now! Let's assume then that bacteria
(for what it's worth posting this in sci.bio.microbiology :-)) on Mars were
huge, sevearl miles in diameter, made of invisible to our eye matter, and
had CO2 cell wall.When they rolled down on the surface of the planet, they
left markings that we now identify as "Channels", and then when they died,
they travelled to poles and decomposed there, leaving huge piles of
membranous CO2 behind to form what we call Polar Caps. Or, buy the way, they
might as well still live on Mars - under the surface - and use craters as
entry ports to their dens. :-)

Sucking electrical energy off hapless space probes?

Lots of Greetings!
Volker
 




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