Audio
Archive
2013
January
February
March
April
May
2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2009
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2007
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Subscribe
Jan. 16, 2009
Methane On Mars
Click 
to enlarge images
to enlarge images
|
|
Tweet |
| This week astronomers reported finding an unexpected gas -- methane -- in the Martian atmosphere. On Earth, a major source of methane is biological activity. However, planetary scientists aren't ready to say that life on Mars is to blame for the presence of the gas there, as geochemical processes could also account for the finding. The find is intriguing especially because the researchers say they have detected seasonal variations of methane emissions over specific locations on the planet. We'll talk with one of the researchers on the project, reported this week in the journal Science, about how they found it, and what that might mean for life on the Red Planet. |
Produced by Christopher Intagliata, Associate Senior Producer
Guests
-
Michael Mumma
Senior Planetary Scientist and Director
Goddard Center for Astrobiology
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED BLOG POSTS
- Predicting Storms, Electroshock Therapy, Germaphiles, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- The Perils of Plankton
An artist magnifies an overlooked environmental problem in sculptures that are larger than life.
- Meet Susan Barry, Neurobiologist and 3D Visionary
Susan Barry could only see in two dimensions until age 48, when her life changed forever.
- Are We Alone in the Universe?
It seems incredible that Earthlings could be the first technological society. So where is everyone?
Discussion