Study: Martian Soil Has Signs of Life

geoffrobinson writes "Reuters is reporting that a scientist from Germany believes Viking probe data shows signs of life. From the article: "Joop Houtkooper of the University of Giessen, Germany, said on Friday the spacecraft may in fact have found signs of a weird life form based on hydrogen peroxide on the subfreezing, arid Martian surface. His analysis of one of the experiments carried out by the Viking spacecraft suggests that 0.1 percent of the Martian soil could be of biological origin.""

Alien!

[BWJones]

Who are we kidding, he's gotta have privileged information. With a name like Joop Houtkooper, he has *got* to be an alien. :-)

(Just kidding there Joop)

Re:Alien!

[Hardhead_7]

Perhaps he works for the Democratic Order Of Planets.

Well...

[VE3OGG]

I for one welcome our hydrogen-peroxide breathing overlords...

Hang on...

[Anonymous Coward]

Viking probe data shows signs of life.

So the Viking probe data is ALIVE?!!!

Re:Well...

[chromozone]

"I for one welcome our hydrogen-peroxide breathing overlords" You live in LA?

Re:Alien!

[BJD3]

1. Move to Earth
2. 'Discover' Alien life.
3. ???
4. Profit!!

Tubular

[Climate Shill]

Mars is one big beach, so peroxided organisms are to be expected.

On the other hand

[EmbeddedJanitor]

I react very badly with them.

Re:Tubular

[rrohbeck]

Ok, where are the silicone based life forms?

Re:Take with a whole shaker-full of salt

[Gabrill]

I find your lack of faith . . . disturbing.

Re:Take with a whole shaker-full of salt

[dontthink]

Ah shit, now Joop's gonna strangle me all the way from Germany.

Re:Well...

[sconeu]

No, I doubt that it's Kathy Ireland [wikipedia.org] posting on Slashdot.

Re:IF its proven..

[shaitand]

'The Bible doesn't say anything at all about life forms on other planets. Intelligent life I might have issues with, but microbes? No problem there.'

No worries, if it were intelligent life it wouldn't believe in the bible either.

Democratic Life?

[HalimCMe]

It is clear that we must promptly launch an investigation on whether this "life" believes in a democratic system of government. If not, we should immediately impose sanctions, inform the public their WMDs, and begin planning a military invasion to begin approximately 18 months from now. If the terrorists possess oil and make attempts to trade it under the Euro currency, we must accelerate this plan, using any means possible to defeat this threat to America. It is clear this life poses a terrorist threat to America. We must preemptively strike against us before they bring their War on Terror to our soil.

Re:Tubular

[jonfr]

Not on Mars, it's too cold. Maybe on Venus if we have bad luck.

Martian soil showing signs of life!

[tenyearsgone]

Fine, as long as I don't have to mow it.

Slashdot User Has Awesome Sex!

[jollyreaper]

Actually, the cute girl from marketing made eye contact and winked so this is conclusive evidence that sex may have or will happen at some point in the fullness of time. Or not.

Sheesh, could we give the sensationalist headlines some rest?

Of Course, Martian Soil Has Signs of Life...

[okmijnuhb]

That's where mankind came from before he destroyed Mars and landed on Earth.

Re:Alien!

[chthon]

And having been exposed to them too often, I think all of them are aliens.

Re:Alien!

[richie2000]

So, how much hout would a houtkooper koop if a houtkooper could koop hout?

Re:Alien!

[MS-06FZ]

Joop Houtkooper is Dutch.

"Isn't dat veird?"

Actually, from his name I figure he may be one of Bowser's minions...

Re:Alien!

[Traa]

Hey, I am from Holland and live in America making me a legal alien....oh, nm.