Who farts on Mars?

[Chemical Ollie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7829315.stm

Large quantities of methane gas have been detected on Mars, Nasa scientists have announced in Science journal.

The gas could be produced either by geological activity or by life.

Methane was detected in the Martian atmosphere five years ago; scientists have found it is more abundant over particular parts of the planet.

It should last for only a short time in the atmosphere until it is destroyed by sunlight, and so its continued presence means it is being replenished.

This suggests the methane is made by an ongoing process.

But the ultimate origin of the methane could either be an ancient or a modern one, say the researchers.

"The fact that we have found three discrete regions where Mars is releasing methane at this time means we have a window into processes occurring under the surface of the planet," said co-author Michael Mumma, a senior planetary scientist at Nasa's Goddard Spaceflight Center in Maryland, US. ---

[Space05us]

In early 2003, a plume of methane gas rose from the surface of Mars. The big unanswered question is, What belched?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/science/space/16mars.html?ref=us

Was this even reported back then?

[duke o' york]

David Bowie might know, but to be honest: Earth ****s all over Mars - it's a rubbish planet.

[Sprayber]

could the entire planet be alive.

[Dry]

we have a window into processes occurring under the surface of the planet

Saruman?
The forges of evil?

[Guynemer]

could the entire planet be alive.

Mindworm, Mindworm

[BlackCat]

Mindworm, Mindworm

Sandworm, sandworm

[Unimatrix11]

Well, the conclusion of an-aerobic life is actually the obvious one, even if not the only possible maybe. On earth at least, if you detect methan emmitting from a pile of something, the conclusion would be, that something organic inside is rotting (the term might not be correct - ANaerobic rotting, i mean).

I once did an internship at a place, where trash is pre-treated prior to dumping. In that place, the organic components are supposed to be ´eaten´ and burned by aerobic bacteria. I did, for the most part, the measuring, if the process indeed was aerobic. If it wasnt, methane would be emitted, because anaerobic bacteria took over and they ´fart´ (breathe out CH4). Since CH4 is a very potent green house gas, this is not desired. Anyways, point is: If the garbage did emit CH4, we knew it was anaerobic bacteria causing it.

Of course, there are other possible sources for methane, i guess, like vulcanic activity. The biogenic source would need liquid water, too, since the H for the CH4 need to be taken from somewhere by the bacteria.

[Theben]

Woodpeckers.