MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Searching for signs of life on Mars, the Endurance rover spots some things that look a lot like the kinds of things I see on the leaves of plants. I think it's an interesting coincidence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXnj_CLt3Xs

What about observing celestial bodies? Of course, the surface of Mars cannot be examined in detail, but with a sufficiently powerful telescope, you can follow the storms that occur in the atmosphere of Mars, you can follow the surface of the Moon, and with sufficient skill and experience, you can also follow the Sun. Not so long ago I became interested in observing space, I have already bought my first telescope. Chose the Celestron Computerized Telescope model.

With a larger telescope you can see six moons of Saturn, 4 moons of Jupiter, even see the moons of Neptune. And don't forget observing the red spot on Jupiter.

Ya'll ever wonder what it would be like to look at microscopic samples taken from other planets?

I mean maybe there is microscopic life on other planets? Has NASA done this or anybody?

What we look for in our microscopic examinations are the same kinds of things that they look for in their imaging of mars.

Red_Green wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:58 am

Ya'll ever wonder what it would be like to look at microscopic samples taken from other planets?

I mean maybe there is microscopic life on other planets? Has NASA done this or anybody?

There have beena couple of tests attempted to look for signs of life chemically. Spirit and Opportunity and perhaps others had microscopic imagers, but I believe their primary purpose was geological, rather than bioogical.
https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/instruments/mi/

There is a You Tube channel. I think it is called "Simply Space." The videos proclaim signs of advanced life based on all kinds of dubious shapes and formations.

dtsh wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:28 pm

Red_Green wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:58 am

Ya'll ever wonder what it would be like to look at microscopic samples taken from other planets?

I mean maybe there is microscopic life on other planets? Has NASA done this or anybody?

There have beena couple of tests attempted to look for signs of life chemically. Spirit and Opportunity and perhaps others had microscopic imagers, but I believe their primary purpose was geological, rather than bioogical.
https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/instruments/mi/

It seems to me that even if there are no organic remains in one place, they may be in another place. In particular, such traces may be in the layer of ice that Perseverance is currently exploring. Although it is also not a fact that something will be revealed in the first batch of samples.

Challenger007 wrote: ↑

Fri May 07, 2021 7:34 am

dtsh wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:28 pm

Red_Green wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:58 am

Ya'll ever wonder what it would be like to look at microscopic samples taken from other planets?

I mean maybe there is microscopic life on other planets? Has NASA done this or anybody?

There have beena couple of tests attempted to look for signs of life chemically. Spirit and Opportunity and perhaps others had microscopic imagers, but I believe their primary purpose was geological, rather than bioogical.
https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/instruments/mi/

It seems to me that even if there are no organic remains in one place, they may be in another place. In particular, such traces may be in the layer of ice that Perseverance is currently exploring. Although it is also not a fact that something will be revealed in the first batch of samples.

Certainly, it's entirely possible that if there was, or even is, life on Mars it could be something we haven't imagined and thus aren't checking for; unlikely, but it seems the universe constantly exceeds our imagination. More likely though is, again IF such even existed, it might be in places we just haven't explored such as in some of the holes and caves. Though I think it's fair to say we won't be finding anyone to share water with.

The rover does have a magnifying camera of some kind. I think it may be like a digital microscope.

Something I often think about! The SF microscopical society hosted a presentation livestream on youtube about microscopy and space, it was truly fascinating. A team is developing a field microscope capable of observing and imaging things WITHOUT having to remove the samples from their natural environment. Really interesting work, perhaps we will see more of it in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3q_FJeTQeI

Lots of things we still don't know about Mars, but it is apparently established that there is a lot of water ice on the planet today; that there were water oceans in the distant past over long periods of time; and that under the south polar cap today you still have a lake of liquid water. So, if scientific theories as to the ingredients for life and how life arises are correct--they have never really been validated--it seems likely there was extensive microbial life on Mars in the past and that some still exists today, even if deep under the surface. A microbe hunter's dream...

The point I was trying to make is relevant to our microscope studies here on Earth. What is it we look for in our samples that signals, THIS IS ALIVE?

Well, I look for movement--critters scurrying to and fro in that drop of pond water But I believe the Mars ground missions have mostly looked for the chemical by-products of life, while the mapping missions have looked for the ingredients. On the latter, the latest report essentially says they are all there.

https://scitechdaily.com/life-on-mars-s ... s-surface/