Report on Martian "Life"

by Hugh Ross

The discovery of amino acids (building blocks of proteins) in the Martian meteorite ALH84001 found in Antarctica stirred some excitement in the science community, but not for long.⁽¹⁾ Careful investigation has shown that these amino acids and even some of the carbon in the Martian rock are Earth "contaminants," not the remains of Mars-based life.⁽²⁾ Researchers found glycine, serine, and alanine in ALH84001. These three happen to be the most common amino acids in Antarctic meltwater, and their relative abundances in the rock match those found in the meltwater.

As if that finding were insufficient to prove where the biotic material came from, researchers have further reported that the amino acids in ALH84001 are virtually all left-handed.⁽³⁾ As you may know, life chemistry demands that all the amino acids in any possibly constructed protein be configured either left-handed or right-handed. However, once an organism dies, its amino acids gradually decay into a random mixture of left- and right-handed configurations. After a million years, roughly half the amino acids will be left-handed and other half, right-handed. Since ALH84001 was last in contact with Mars 16 million years ago, the uniform configuration of the amino acids indicates that they are Earth contaminants.

Additionally, researchers compared the carbon-13 and carbon-14 abundances in certain ALH84001 "biochemicals" (specifically, the hydrocarbons arising from low temperature reactions) with the abundances of these isotopes on Mars and in Earth's crust, and they match with Earth's abundances.⁽⁴⁾ The same test has been applied to the "biochemicals" in another Martian meteorite, EETA79001, with the same results.⁽⁵⁾ The carbon-14 in both Martian rocks can, of course, be dated, and that date will provide further evidence of its source. If it came from mars, it would be at least 16 million years old. In reality, it ranges from 5,000 to 12,000 years old⁽⁶⁾ in ALH84001 and from 4,000 to 12,000 years old in EETA79001,⁽⁷⁾ suggesting how long ago each landed on Earth.

Meteorite remains resting on the surface of Earth for any length of time will absorb, this research proves, some remains of Earth-life-even in Antarctica. The case for extraterrestrial life in ALH84001 is finally closed. NASA now rests its hopes on a Mars mission slated for 2008 that will bring Marian rocks back to Earth for analysis in search of life remains. I have no doubt such remains will eventually be found, but not because life spontaneously emerges under just-right conditions. Rather, Earth life "contaminates" not only Antarctic ice but also virtually the entire solar system.^(8-10)

References