A mock-up image of Curiosity on Mars.
(Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
NASA’s Curiosity rover has been trucking around the surface of Mars for more than a year and no evidence of little green men, or even little microbes, has surfaced.
Many people had been hopeful the rover might turn up some sort of evidence of life, whether current or historical.
Curiosity has been busy “sniffing” the atmosphere in search of methane, an indication of microbial presence. A new study of the rover’s findings shows a distinct lack of methane, dealing a significant blow to hopes of finding life on the Red Planet.
Despite the bad news for fans of life on other planets, the current findings don’t completely rule out life on Mars. Curiosity’s mission is ongoing. An earlier study also showed what some scientists believe were plumes of methane on Mars in 2003. There are still just as many questions as answers.
Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, a scientist, or a space fan, you’ve probably spent a little time contemplating life on Mars. After the latest methane study, are you still hopeful of finding it? Vote in our poll and talk about it in the comments.
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