TOP 10 FALSE ALARMS FOR ALIEN LIFE

by Dave Mosher and Irene Klotz

alien extraterrestrial life evidence bad wrong

1. Martian Methane

In January 2009, some media outlets reported that NASA had found signs of life on Mars. Thing is, they hadn't ... not yet, anyway.

The news stories surrounded an embargoed report in Science magazine about the discovery of methane plumes on the Red Planet. The early reports were so outlandish, however, that Science didn't even consider its protective embargo on the report broken.

Still, the sources of the atmospheric gas are an intriguing mystery -- not only because on Earth most methane comes from "biological processes" (i.e. cow farts), but because methane is a rich food stock for microbial populations.

Article posted January 15, 2009.

Got something to say? E-mail your questions, comments or concerns to discoveryspace@discovery.com.

MORE TOP 10s

Next »109 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 « Previous

Wide Angle: Life on Mars?

News: Mars to NASA: Forget Water, Follow the Methane
Methane plumes discovered on Mars create an exciting case for alien life. Will NASA follow the lead?

Video: Why? Tell Me Why! - Methane on Mars
Why are plumes of methane on the Red Planet raising scientists' eyebrows? Kasey-Dee Gardner investigates.

My Take: Exploring Mars? Part of Human Destiny
Peter Smith, leader of the Phoenix Mars Lander, makes the case for poking around the Red Planet.

Blog: Mars Methane Mystery
'Cosmic' Ray Villard catches a whiff of the Mars methane news months ahead of time.

HowStuffWorks: Life on Mars?
Is life possible on Mars? HowStuffWorks.com explains.

Science Channel: Is There New Life on Mars?
Don't miss the Science Channel's TV special.