July 19, 2004

life on Mars

European Space Agency's orbiting Mars Express craft has found traces of ammonia which breaks down fast in the martian enviroment. It has two likely sources, either life or volcanic activity. If it is life then this is the biggest descovery for a long time. If it is volcanos which it could be as Mars has the largest volcanoes in the solar system. But they are extinct, and there is no known surface volcanic activity so if it is this then it means that is must be underground and leads to the possibility of melted areas of permafrost, a very good habitat for life.