Gillevinia straata
Gillevinia straata is a hypothetical form of Life on Mars. It may have been discovered by the Viking 1 lander in 1979 through the Viking biological experiments, but the test data is inconclusive due to the Labeled Release experiment coming back positive for metabolism, yet the other experiments came back negative for organic matter. Regardless, it was classified as a form of life by the neurobiologist Mario Crocco in 2006. It was named for two members of the Viking 1 mission, Gilbert Levin and Patricia Straat, and the kingdom was named for famed neurobiologist Christfried Jakob.
Its existence is rejected by mainstream biology due to the lack of detectable organic compounds. However, proponents of its existence state that there are no detectable organic compounds in the soil of Antarctica, yet life is known to exist there.[citation needed]
Therefore, a subsection of scientists, including Gilles Levin, hold that Gillevinia straata was indeed discovered by the Viking 1 Labeled Release experiments.
Antecedents[edit]
On 1975 the NASA sent two lander probes, Viking 1 and 2, to Mars; one of the main objectives was to make basic tests to assist determine the existence of life on that planet. A type of experiment to detect metabolism, called Labeled Release, was conducted nine times on both Viking landers, the experiment gave positive results almost immediately.[1] An almost general consent discarded it as evidence of life on Mars because the gas chromatograph & mass spectrometer designed to identify natural organic matter, did not detect organic molecules for confirmation.[1]
Reevaluation of data[edit]
The claim for life on Mars is grounded on old evidence reinterpreted in the light of recent discoveries mainly by Gilbert Levin,[1] Rafael Navarro-González[2] and Ronalds Paepe.[3]
On 2007, during a Seminar of the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution (Washington, USA), Gilbert Levin's investigation was assessed once more.[4] Levin sustains that his original data was correct, as the positive and negative control experiments were in order.
Ronald Paepe, an edaphologist (soil scientist), communicated to the European Geosciences Union Congress that the discovery of the recent detection of phyllosilicate clays on Mars may indicate pedogenesis, or soil development processes, extended over the entire surface of Mars.[5] Paepe's interpretation views most of Mars surface as active soil, colored red by eons of widespread wearing by water, vegetation and microbial activity.[3]
Controversies[edit]
The intended effect of the new nomenclature was to reverse the burden of proof concerning the life issue, but the controversy remains. The evidence supporting the existence of Gillevinia straata microorganisms relies on the data collected by the two Mars Viking landers that searched for biosignatures of life, but the analytical results were, officially, inconclusive. [6]
Life on the surface of Mars is extremely unlikely because it is bathed in radiation and it is completely frozen.[7][8][9][10] The radiation environment on the surface, as recently determined by Curiosity rover "is so high that any biological organisms would not survive without protection."[11]
Also, liquid water, necessary for life and for metabolism, cannot exist on the surface of Mars at the present low atmospheric pressure and temperature, except at the lowest shaded elevations for short periods, and liquid water never appears at the surface itself.[12]
A research team from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies headed by Rafael Navarro-González, concluded that the equipment used (TV-GC-MS) by the Viking program to search for organic molecules, may not be sensitive enough to detect low levels of organics.[2] Because of the simplicity of sample handling, TV–GC–MS is still considered the standard method for organic detection on future Mars missions, Navarro-González suggests that the design of future instruments for Mars should include other methods of organic compound detection.[2] The 2018 ExoMars rover will use again the TV-GC-MS technique,[13][14] while the Mars 2020 rover will use Raman spectroscopy.[15][16]
Search for life[edit]
About thirty three years after the Viking program, the Beagle 2, a British robotic lander spacecraft, was sent to Mars on 2003 to specifically assess possible chemical biosignatures of life, but the spacecraft failed to deploy two of its four solar panels, leaving the antenna blocked, and the lander was unable to function or to communicate.[17][18]
The Mars 2020 rover and the ExoMars rover will be launched to Mars in 2020 and 2018,[19] respectively, and will search for biomolecules and biosignatures of past or present microbial life on Mars.
See also[edit]
- Astrobiology
- Extraterrestrial life
- Martian meteorite ALH84001
- Viking biological experiments
- Viking program
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lecture given by Gilbert Levin and published by Electroneurobiología vol. 15 (2), pp. 39-47, 2007
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Paepe, Ronald (2007). "The Red Soil on Mars as a proof for water and vegetation" (PDP). Geophysical Research Abstracts. Vol. 9 (01794). Retrieved 2008-08-14.
- ↑ The Carnegie Institution Geophysical Laboratory Seminar, "Analysis of evidence of Mars life" held 05/14/2007; Summary of the lecture given by Gilbert V. Levin, Ph.D. http://arxiv.org/abs/0705.3176
- ↑ Paepe, R., 2007, Geophysical Research Abstracts 9
- ↑ Chambers, Paul (1999), Life on Mars; The Complete Story, London: Blandford, ISBN 0713727470
- ↑ Than, Ker (January 29, 2007). "Study: Surface of Mars Devoid of Life". Space.com.
After mapping cosmic radiation levels at various depths on Mars, researchers have concluded that any life within the first several yards of the planet's surface would be killed by lethal doses of cosmic radiation.
- ↑ Dartnell, L. R.; Desorgher, L.; Ward, J. M.; Coates, A. J. (2007). "Modelling the surface and subsurface Martian radiation environment: Implications for astrobiology". Geophysical Research Letters. 34 (2): L02207. Bibcode:2007GeoRL..34.2207D. doi:10.1029/2006GL027494.
Bacteria or spores held dormant by freezing conditions cannot metabolise and become inactivated by accumulating radiation damage. We find that at 2 m depth, the reach of the ExoMars drill, a population of radioresistant cells would need to have reanimated within the last 450,000 years to still be viable. Recovery of viable cells cryopreserved within the putative Cerberus pack-ice requires a drill depth of at least 7.5 m.
- ↑ Lovet, Richard A. (February 2, 2007). "Mars Life May Be Too Deep to Find, Experts Conclude". National Geographic News.
That's because any bacteria that may once have lived on the surface have long since been exterminated by cosmic radiation sleeting through the thin Martian atmosphere.
- ↑ JohnThomas Didymus (January 21, 2013). "Scientists find evidence Mars subsurface could hold life". Digital Journal – Science.
There can be no life on the surface of Mars because it is bathed in radiation and it's completely frozen. However, life in the subsurface would be protected from that. - Prof. Parnell.
- ↑ Gronstal, Aaron (May 15, 2014). "Destroying Glycine in Ice". NASA Astrobiology. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
To date, we have not left the top-most surface of Mars, and the radiation environment there (as recently determined by Curiosity) is so high that any biological organisms would not survive without protection.
- ↑ Hecht, Michael H.; Vasavada, Ashwin R. (2006). "Transient liquid water near an artificial heat source on Mars". International Journal of Mars Science and Exploration. 2: 83–96. Bibcode:2006IJMSE...2...83H. doi:10.1555/mars.2006.0006.
In summary, on present-day Mars, liquid water is unlikely except as the result of a quick and dramatic change in environmental conditions such as from a landslide that exposes buried ice to sunlight (Costard et al. 2002), or from the introduction of an artificial heat source.
- ↑ Vago, Jorge; Witasse, Olivier; Baglioni, Pietro; Haldemann, Albert; Gianfiglio, Giacinto; Blancquaert, Thierry; McCoy, Don; de Groot, Rolf; et al. (August 2013). "ExoMars: ESA's Next Step in Mars Exploration" (PDF). Bulletin. European Space Agency (155): 12–23.
- ↑ Clark, Stephen (21 November 2012). "European states accept Russia as ExoMars partner". Spaceflight Now.
- ↑ Webster, Guy (31 July 2014). "SHERLOC to Micro-Map Mars Minerals and Carbon Rings". NASA. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
- ↑ "SHERLOC: Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals, an Investigation for 2020" (PDF).
- ↑ Webster, Guy (16 January 2015). "'Lost' 2003 Mars Lander Found by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter". NASA. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ↑ "Mars Orbiter Spots Beagle 2, European Lander Missing Since 2003". New York Times. Associated Press. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ↑ "ExoMars: ESA and Roscosmos set for Mars missions". European Space Agency (ESA). March 14, 2013.
External links[edit]
- Johns Hopkins Magazine on Gilbert Levin
- "Life after Viking: The evidence mounts", written by Gilbert V. Levin, from the book Mars: The Living Planet (Chapter 9)
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