It's possible that Mars contains organisms now and has contained organisms in the past, but absolutely no positive evidence for past or present Martian organisms has been found to date. The probable presence of water in the past is not conclusive proof that life existed on Mars in the past, although it offers support for conjecture that Martian organisms did exist. Also, the fact that no positive evidence of life has been found does not preclude the fact that life has not been or is not present on Mars. It's possible that experiments meant to discover life have been inadequate or inappropriate. For example, the eminent astronomer, Carl Sagan, in a lecture at the University of Washington in Seattle described such possible inadequacy in one of the Viking lander experiments intended to discover Martian life. He said that the experiment involved offering any prospective Martians a dish of irresistible nutrients. If nutrients in the dish disappeared, it could be assumed that they were being eaten by Martian organisms. Because none of the nutrients disappeared, it was concluded that no Martian organisms were present to consume the food. However, Carl Sagan, in pointing out the inadequacies of this experiment, stated that perhaps a hungry Martian was busily eating the paint off of the lander on the other side of the probe, out of range of the cameras! :-) In other words, perhaps the Martians didn't like what NASA served for lunch in the nutrient dish. Therefore, the fact that the nutrients did not disappear would not offer proof of absence of life. Another point about this and other experiments is that they may have been conducted in the wrong area of Mars. Although earth is obviously teeming with life, if the situation were reversed and Martians sent life-seeking probes to the Antarctic region of earth, for example, it's likely that life may not be found. Because of these flaws in the search for evidence of past and present Martian life, it's currently impossible to state that Mars had or has organisms.
2006-10-18 23:06:15
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answer #1
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answered by pet 3
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So far there is no sure evidence that Mars has every had life. The rovers Spirit and Opportunity have shown that Mars once had water on its surface but they have not found anything that looks like it was ever alive. There was a meteorite discovered on Earth that scientists are pretty sure came from Mars. It had small structures inside that some investigators thought looked like fossil microbes but others disagree.
2006-10-18 22:29:30
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answer #2
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answered by rethinker 5
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They've found evidence of water having been there - may still is in very small amounts - and some of the amino-acids necessary to building the proteins that are the foundation of life (it may be the other way around, darn it!). But only at a very primitive level so if it ever did exist it wouldn't have been much more than what we know as ameobas.
2006-10-18 22:30:32
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answer #3
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answered by mrsgavanrossem 5
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yes it is possible that Mars had organism as The evidence of water has been formed.If water was there then , even oxygen and hydrogen were en\ven ther essential for life.thus it is possible that mars had organism on it.
2006-10-18 23:30:12
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answer #4
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answered by jaya 2
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NASA Orbiter Reveals New Details Of Mars, Young And Old
During its first week of observations from low orbit, NASA's newest Mars spacecraft is already revealing new clues about both recent and ancient environments on the red planet. >>
2006-10-18 22:21:32
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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Theres evidence of cell like structures in samples that have been studied.
But until we get there, and can set up proper labs to study, we won't know for sure.
I hope that we do get positive proof that there were in my life time though ............ That'll shut the creationists & god botherers up for a while, until they fiind some new way of twisting the bible to fit scientific fact anyway.
2006-10-18 22:22:52
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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Mars is not plural unless you mean mars like in scratches....then....well..then they wouldn't had organism, once.
I think the juries is out.
2006-10-19 01:25:33
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answer #7
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answered by FrogDog 4
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as it said no life exits .
2006-10-18 22:47:19
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answer #8
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answered by vincent g 1
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chanceless
2006-10-18 22:22:11
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answer #9
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answered by Priyang A 2
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Chocolate bar = yes
Planet = dunno, they reckon so!
2006-10-18 22:20:52
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answer #10
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answered by ♥ Kazbaz ♥ 4
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