[meteorite-list] NASA Statement on False Claim of Evidence of Life on Mars

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Feb 18 15:56:53 2005
Message-ID: <200502182056.j1IKucR05679_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Dolores Beasley/Gretchen Cook-Anderson
Headquarters, Wahington February 18, 2005
(Phone: 202/358-1753/0836)

RELEASE: 05-052

NASA STATEMENT ON FALSE CLAIM OF EVIDENCE OF LIFE ON MARS

News reports on February 16, 2005, that NASA scientists
from Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., have
found strong evidence that life may exist on Mars are
incorrect.

NASA does not have any observational data from any current
Mars missions that supports this claim. The work by the
scientists mentioned in the reports cannot be used to
directly infer anything about life on Mars, but may help
formulate the strategy for how to search for martian life.
Their research concerns extreme environments on Earth as
analogs of possible environments on Mars. No research paper
has been submitted by them to any scientific journal
asserting martian life.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA's Mars programs on the Web,
visit:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/

-end-
Received on Fri 18 Feb 2005 03:56:38 PM PST