Martian Life
Are we alone? Maybe not! Mars Rock ALH 84001 produced rampant
speculation after bacteria-like shapes were discovered inside. And if
life does exist on other planets in the solar system, it probably looks
like this!
Children, parents and educators will enjoy using these educational
plush toys to teach about hygiene, disease and the human body. Each
microbe comes with a description of the disease it causes or function it
performs. Use these fun, non-threatening toys to emphasize the
importance of washing hands and preventing sickness in social settings. Surface wash, air dry. There is
little doubt that the rock ALH 84001 came from Mars. The gases trapped
inside the rock are identical to those found in the Martian atmosphere
by the Viking probes. However, the evidence for life inside the rock is
widely debated! In 1996 Dr. David McKay and his co-workers reported that
they had found shapes inside the rock that look like fossilized
bacteria. Skeptics wondered if terrestrial-bacteria had simply crawled
into the rock at some point after it arrived. But examinations made of
other meteorites collected nearby in Antarctica found no bacteria inside
(though recent NASA studies have demonstrated this possibility.)
Mineral grains and chemical compounds (such as carbon and magnetite)
commonly produced by known bacteria were also found in the rock. While
these materials can be produced by inorganic processes, the organization
of the substances suggested the presence of life. Most intriguingly, a
quarter of the magnetite is of a type which, so far, is known only to be
produced by life. The debate continues-and many scientists are
skeptical. But even if the evidence is less than rock solid, it is
indeed possible that we have been invaded by Martians! |
