back to article It's whiff, Jim, but not as we know it: Curiosity sniffs ORGANICS on Mars

Two new papers on the latest data from the compact chemistry laboratory aboard nuclear-tank Curiosity show organic compounds in Mars' atmosphere and rocks – and therefore offer tantalizing clues to the Red Planet's watery past. Youtube Video In the past 20 months Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) laboratory has …

  1. Mark 85

    Spikes in the methane can only mean one thing.

    The Martians love their curried dishes, pickled eggs, and beer.

    1. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
      Coat

      Re: Spikes in the methane can only mean one thing.

      Would that be a MAdRaS curry

      I'll get me coat

    2. Bleu

      Re: Spikes in the methane can only mean one thing.

      We love many things in our sub-arean existence. We have something like beer, it is made from something like fungus.

      It is very disappointing to those I left behind that we have had a poor hit rate for causing probe failures recently.

      Our people will redouble efforts to stop further vessels!

  2. Ru'

    Can someone please explain to slow old me how that selfie was taken? Conspiracy theory would suggest a third party was holding the camera, as far as I can see!

    1. stucs201

      Composite of multiple images, using the parts which don't have a robot arm holding the camera in the way.

    2. kendb

      How the Rover takes a selfie; http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20121211b.html

      1. Ru'

        Thanks for the link, and for shattering my hope that camera-wielding nasa-friendly aliens inhabit mars.

        1. Gordo Rex
          Trollface

          And yet, there is still hope that camera-wielding nasa-friendly aliens* inhbabit the Mexican desert.

          *Alien in the sense that they have a different nationality to yours.

  3. LaeMing
    Trollface

    Something's going on, can I smell yo regolith?

  4. wolfetone Silver badge

    Of course there's life on Mars. Where do you think Mars bars are made?!

    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      Don't be silly

      The Martian syrup mines are indeed organic in origin but no life could possibly survive that concentration of sugar.

      1. wolfetone Silver badge
        Coat

        Re: Don't be silly

        That's why no one lives on the surface. They're all underground either reproducing or mining. There's a high turnover rate of martian syrup mine workers in fairness, and I hear Bob Geldof is contemplating a charity single in order to help them. Working title is "Do They Know Of Diabetes?".

  5. Primus Secundus Tertius

    <p>I would like to ask whether CO2 was found with the CH4.

    That could mean bacteria splitting acetic acid, CH3COOH.</p>

    1. Bleu

      Since CO2 is

      the main component of our atmosphere, it would be difficult for you Earthlings to *not* detect it.

  6. Bleu

    OMG, that article was

    truly informative. Uh, not much really.

  7. breakfast Silver badge

    Asking the wrong question

    If only Bowie had thought to ask "are there guffs on Mars?" he would now have a clear answer.

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