Methane Is Scarce, But That Doesn't Mean There's No Life On Mars
Curiosity Self-Portrait The rover used its hand lens imager to take 55 high-resolution images, which engineers stitched together into this self-portrait. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science SystemsLooking around for methane in Gale Crater, Curiosity found a whole lot of nothing. But that doesn't dash hopes of finding evidence of life on Mars some day. Finding methane on another world is like finding breadcrumbs on a trail--it's a telling clue, a detail that gives reason to ask more questions and maybe find some answers, in this case related to extraterrestrial life. This is why news from the Mars rover Curiosity late last week is kind of disappointing--looking around for methane, Curiosity found a whole lot of nothing. But a dearth of methane does not necessarily dash hopes for finding evidence of life on Mars. And Curiosity could still obtain better measurements of the hydrocarbon, helping scientists understand how much there is and where...