New Technique for Finding Life on Mars
From R&D Mag
Researchers demonstrate for the first time the potential of existing technology to directly detect and characterize life on Mars and other planets. The study, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, used miniaturized scientific instruments and new microbiology techniques to identify and examine microorganisms in the Canadian high Arctic -- one of the closest analogs to Mars on Earth. By avoiding delays that come with having to return samples to a laboratory for analysis, the methodology could also be used on Earth to detect and identify pathogens during epidemics in remote areas.Read more: https://www.rdmag.com/news/2018/01/new-technique-finding-life-mars"The search for life is a major focus of planetary exploration, but there hasn't been direct life detection instrumentation on a mission since the 70s, during the Viking missions to Mars," explains Dr Jacqueline Goordial, one of the study's authors. "We wanted to show a proof-of-concept that microbial life can be directly detected and identified using very portable, low-weight, and low-energy tools."
At present, most instruments on astrobiology missions look for habitable conditions, small organic molecules and other "biosignatures" that generally could not be formed without life. However, these provide only indirect evidence of life. Moreover, current instruments are relatively large and heavy with high energy requirements. This makes them unsuitable for missions to Europa and Enceladus -- moons of Jupiter and Saturn which, along with Mars, are the primary targets in the search for life in our solar system.
Miniature instruments could bring big findings
For some reason I find this development exciting. I really hope I live to see a mission that goes to Europa to administer tests like these in the search for life beyond our planet.
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The search for extraterrestrial life has been fascinating humanity for a long time. Modern technology may bring us closer to the answer to the question we have been asking ourselves for ages: what is out there? Are we alone or is there something else? So that's an age old philosophical question and it's exciting to see how the current science may help us there. Thank you for the information @contentjunkie
Nice post . :) What's going on outside of our planet :) there is a lot of new and interesting things for me :) we do not even suppose ... whether we will understand...We hope
Sound like a humans will be moving beyond the Earth soon.
In reality it will take much longer for humans actualy land on Mars than most people think. There is still so much obstacles, so much to work to do. Even today, they are still having problems to leave Earth’s orbit.
Resteemed!
Life beyond our planet will be real soon. Actually "our planet" might even change in this period. Thanks for sharing.
Good luck to them. But let it be known that its only planet earth that has the capacity to sustain life.
Too bad there's no solid land there for people to live on. It's just a star. Stop getting fooled by fairy tales about space. It's like nobody ever uses a telescop, but is fine just believing in images from nasa.
It is an awfully big universe. In fact unimaginable. Maybe we are the only humans, but the only living things? No chance. Thanks so much for bringing us these new updates in the search.
Informative post thank you for sharing with us
excellent post
Your idea is very good and really helped me out.steem on......enjoy!!!!