Methane on Mars = news on Earth - January 15, 2009
"Life on Mars" exclaimed the British tabloid the Sun in a headline this morning, reporting on the detection of seasonal methane gas in the atmosphere of Mars. The journal Science, in which atmospheric scientist Michael Mumma describes his discovery this week, then decried the Sun for nearly breaking an embargo on the news. "In the interests of supporting excellence in science communications," an email from the journal's publishing society states, "we urge all registered journalists in good standing to adhere to the Science embargo-release time, and refrain from validating this unfortunate tabloid teaser."
Let's slow down a bit, both of you. First off, methane doesn't necessarily mean life. Yes, on Earth, atmospheric methane is mostly the work of cows, and microbes in the soil can also burp up the stuff. But on Mars, biology is not necessarily any more likely as a source of methane than geology, since water can create methane by breaking down certain volcanic minerals. What's interesting about the methane discovery is that there could potentially be a lot of it. Mumma, of Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, claims to have discovered variability in the methane concentrations in both space and time. Methane would normally mix and breakdown in the atmosphere over time. But Mumma, using Earth-based telescopes, spotted seasonal plumes of methane concentrated in hotspots: it implies the work of tens of thousands of cows, or their geological equivalent.
As far as the embargo break, in this case it's a little silly to complain about it. Both Nature and Science try to enforce strict embargoes on their journal articles to create news events. But science is a slow process, with as many zigs and zags as eurekas. And Mumma has been talking about his methane work for years. In fact, I wrote about this methane discovery in October, after Mumma gave a talk at a conference at Cornell University.
For me, the more interesting question is: Will NASA switch its Mars exploration mantra from "follow the water" to "stalk the methane"? The Mars Science Laboratory, due for launch in 2011, is equipped with an instrument that can detect methane at levels of parts per trillion. But a potential landing site, in the same region as one of Mumma's hotspots, was thrown out of consideration months ago. Time to reconsider? "Now we've got these little signposts saying: 'Look, here I am. Come here!'" Mumma told me in October.
Image: USDA/Keith Weller
Comments
I think the point here is that embargoes should be respected, not slunk around as the tabloid tried to do. I respect those rules and think that other journos should, too, no matter how much they want a breaking story.
It shouldn't matter if it's a new find or one that the authors have been talking about for years. All of us know the rules and any reputable reporter/news organization will respect them.
I see this story as one that shows people that we are still very much in learning mode about Mars and it still has a few surprises up its sleeve for us to find. I agree that the selection of the landing site for the 2011 mission might be a good way to study this methane issue more closely. Let's see what they decide!
Posted by: ccpetersen | January 15, 2009 08:29 PM
Mars also has deuterium enrichment. Does it have H-bombs and NMRs?
Nobody proposes landing a polarimeter to seek biological homochirality (Cotton effect with CuSO_4). They instead demand bray detection to imply an ass' presence.
Posted by: Uncle Al | January 15, 2009 09:46 PM
Just as some believe space aliens visit us; we, in our earthly form are revisiting Mars, the previous planet we inhabited before we carelessly destroyed it as we inevitably are doing again again to what we call home. There is no doubt in my mind that as we get closer to space travel for the masses our Government will allow us the to know what they have known and been studiying for many years now.
Posted by: Rosean | January 15, 2009 10:12 PM
No self-respecting editor should have the slightest reservation about violating an "embargo." "Reputable" journalists (aka, mainstream hacks) might (and do) act like PR flacks, but competent journalists are not embeds.
Posted by: Nicolas Martin | January 16, 2009 04:34 AM
"water can create methane by breaking down certain volcanic minerals" - what are those "certain volcanic minerals"?
What is the chemical reaction that does that? I have never heard of water just mixing with a chemical to form methane.
You seem to be bending over backwards to believe that the methane being produced on Mars is NOT biologic in origin. Possibly because thats what you predicted and would look very silly if proved wrong.
Your prejudice is however making you overlook and not disclose evidence that points towards a biologic origin of the methane.
The evidence is that the bursts of methane are being released near the equator during the warm periods, spring and summer, precisely the time that biological activity would be at its peak.
Posted by: Richard | January 16, 2009 09:23 PM
There are plenty of mineral / geologic sources for Methane (see the link on my name).
I think it's safe to say no life exists on the surface due to sublimation of water and deadly solar radiation.
The jury's still out for sub-surface life, however, but we're not going to find it without a manned mission or at least a massive rover drill. I'm sure Robert Zubrin has some ideas in-light of this.
Posted by: Jonny | February 9, 2009 11:42 AM
I have seen enhanced martian photographs which clearly (to trained eyes) show huge cities on mars. Perhaps those fuzzy shapes are my imagination, if that is the case then I have a truly unbelievable one fully developed over the last several months. One hirise photo shows an aircraft with a pointed nose and wings flying over a multi-lane highway. These cities are deep in the trenches and follow the geologic contours and tend to be on the equator.
Naturally, the folks choosing the location for landing a manned or even unmanned craft want to control what information is "given" to the public "for their own good". Imagine martians landing an exploratory craft in LA.
That is the "embargo" being talked about. Respect the embargo? Respect the truth instead for the sake of humanity.
You can fool some of the people some of the time...
Posted by: Wayne | September 5, 2009 12:24 AM