Scientists Look at Martian Salt for Ancient Life

eldavojohn writes "Is there life on Mars? Maybe not, but a better question might be whether or not it has ever existed on Mars? Scientists are claiming that the best indication for this will be in newly found evaporated salt deposits on Mars which they can use to check for cellulose. Here on earth, tiny fuzzy fibers have been found in salt dating back almost 250 million years making it the oldest known evidence of life on earth. Jack Griffith, a microbiologist from UNC, is quoted as saying, 'Cellulose was one of the earliest polymers organisms made during their evolution, so it pops out as the most likely thing you'd find on Mars, if you found anything at all. Looking for it in salt deposits is probably a very good way to go.'"

Salt and astrobiology

[Geoffrey.landis]

Salt on Mars has been a topic of interest for a while-- I wrote about the implications of Martian salt for Astrobiology a couple of years back, in an article in Astrobiology [liebertonline.com]

Return Sample?

[Gat0r30y]

Wouldn't this require a sample coming back here? It looks like they needed a Scanning Electron Microscope to see the cellulose fibers. It seems to me they would have to return a sample of the salts in order to see anything. Are there any plans for a sample return mission to mars anytime soon?

No, not oldest evidence of life

[mck9]

No, these aren't the oldest known signs of life on earth. There are fossils way older than 250 million years. According to the article, this fuzz is the oldest known **biological material** on earth. Not the same thing.

Bad Summary

[algae]

Here on earth, tiny fuzzy fibers have been found in salt dating back almost 250 million years making it the oldest known evidence of life on earth.

What the article actually *says*, is that the fibers themselves are 250 million years old, making them the oldest known biologically-produced material. There's obviously older evidence of life to be found on Earth.

While I'm nitpicking, "Earth" is capitalized, as it is a proper name.

Re:Cellulose *variants*?

[Jodaxia]

Well basically any carbohydrate would be good evidence of life, however cellulose just happens to be very stable. (Think cotton shirts, cows chewing cud, and metamucil.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromatolite

[sofar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromatolite [wikipedia.org]

Quote:

"The earliest stromatolite of confirmed microbial origin dates to 2,724 million years ago."

Re:If there is life on mars...

[Bartab]

It will be a non-question unless/until other intelligent life is found. A life filled universe will not contradict any of those religions.

Re:250 million years

[PresidentEnder]

As others have said, the old cellulose isn't the oldest evidence of life on earth. It's the oldest biological material on earth. Fossils are just rocks, prettily shaped.