Null hypothesis: the term ‘life’ is not needed in biology
Posted inLife

Null hypothesis: the term ‘life’ is not needed in biology

Before we go any deeper in the Universal Theory of Life debate we need to examine the following null hypothesis: ‘Life’ exists only as a concept. We mistakenly assume that 'life' exists independently of our culture as a natural phenomenon, just like we did with ‘luminiferous aether’, ‘preformationist’s homunculi’, and ‘vital force’. A theory of life is as useful as a theory of ‘phlogiston’.
September 16, 2021Posted inLife1 Comment
How the Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) Searches for Life on Mars
Posted inLife on Mars

How the Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) Searches for Life on Mars

Here, we describe an Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) that is able to look for life in water throughout the Solar System. ALF uses electric fields to extract alien genetic molecules from water. This water will be mined in large volumes during in situ resource utilization (ISRU), to generate fuel before the first humans arrive to create large scale environmental perturbation.
February 11, 2021Posted inLife on MarsNo Comments
The Search for Life on Mars Must Start Now
Posted inLife on Mars

The Search for Life on Mars Must Start Now

According to planetary protection guidelines, manned Mars missions could be a severe biological hazard. At the same time, Mars will soon be accessible for those who might choose not to follow these guidelines. If we are serious about planetary protection, we must know if life is present on Mars before humans land there.
February 11, 2021Posted inLife on Mars1 Comment
The Race to Put the First Humans on Mars
Posted inLife on Mars

The Race to Put the First Humans on Mars

Short of a global apocalypse, we can expect people living on Mars by the year 2050 and if everything runs smoothly, humans will be a multiplanetary species in the 2030s. Several national agencies and private companies declared their interest in landing humans on Mars. This article reviews their programs.
February 11, 2021Posted inLife on Mars6 Comments
Cooking Lasagna Glaciers on Mars
Posted inLife on Mars

Cooking Lasagna Glaciers on Mars

The mid latitude Martian subsurface layered ice, the Martian Lasagna, could be the best place to look for life on Mars. Here, layers of ice, few inches thick are separated by thin layers of dust - creating chemical gradients and bringing nutrients, water and life together. Here is how the Martian Lasagna is made.

January 20, 2021Posted inLife on Mars1 Comment