Steven A. Benner – The Primordial Scoop

The BARSOOM Model for Life on Mars

Many different metabolic strategies might let life survive on Mars where Viking landed. One in particular explains all of the observations made by Viking. In addition, it is consistent with chemical principles, and "clever" natural selection likely evolved these Bacterial Autotrophs Respiring with Stored Oxygen in Overnight Metabolism as fit solutions to the challenges of living on the Martian surface.

By Steven A. Benner November 18, 2023Life on Mars, Single ScoopsNo Comments

Life on Mars Single Scoops

Why does the NASA Culture Still Get Viking 1976 Wrong?

Because one item of data from the 1976 Viking mission to Mars was misinterpreted, the NASA "consensus" has for a half century held that no life exists today on the surface of Mars. As is frequently seen in science, facts and logic have failed to dislodge this cultural belief. If we are ever to meet our neighbors, we must take matters into our own hands.

By Steven A. Benner November 13, 2023Life on Mars, Single ScoopsNo Comments

Life on Mars Single Scoops

What Do Martians Do at Night?

Contrary to NASA expert committees, the results of all of the Viking 1976 life detection experiments are consistent with the Martian soils containing microbial autotrophs having a lifestyle adapted for their environment, with very scarce water. These manage oxygen and carbon dioxide as needed to survive during both day and night.

By Steven A. Benner November 10, 2023Life on Mars, Single ScoopsNo Comments

Life on Mars

Making Operational the Polyelectrolyte Theory of the Gene in the Agnostic Search for Martian Life

Cite as: Benner, S. A. (2023) "Making Operational the Polyelectrolyte Theory of the Gene in the Agnostic Search for Martian Life". Primordial Scoop, e20230915. The Polyelectrolyte Theory of the Gene…

By Steven A. Benner September 15, 2023Life on MarsNo Comments

Life on Mars

Assembly Theory and Agnostic Life Finding

Agnostic life finders can either look for molecules that are necessary for Darwinian evolution, or molecules that require Darwinian evolution to make. Assembly Theory promises to resurrect the second strategy after years of failure. Can it?

By Steven A. Benner March 24, 2023Life on Mars3 Comments

Astrobiology Life Origin of Life Single Scoops

Science, Hype, and Prebiotic Chemistry

Commenting on our report that basalt glass catalyzes formation of polyribonucleic acid, Jack Szostak found it "very frustrating that the authors have made an interesting initial findings but then decided to go with the hype rather than the science". This offers an opportunity to discuss classical chemical structure proof, and the timing of scientific publications.

By Steven A. Benner June 18, 2022Astrobiology, Life, Origin of Life, Single Scoops6 Comments

Life on Mars Origin of Life Single Scoops

Ribonucleic acid is formed by percolating ribonucleoside triphosphates through basalt glass

This simple reaction is the last step in a modeled "discontinuous" process that moves from sulfite- and borate-stabilized carbohydrates, a post-impact atmosphere, and rock species delivered from basalt glass, all of the way to what might be the process forming what might have been the first genetic molecules on Earth ... and Mars.

By Steven A. Benner June 4, 2022Life on Mars, Origin of Life, Single Scoops1 Comment

Single Scoops

Synthesis has explored the universe of possible Darwinian informational biopolymers

Carol Cleland and David Grinspoon argue that synthetic biologists explore only narrowly outside of the structures that they know from natural biology. Not so.

By Steven A. Benner May 26, 2022Single ScoopsNo Comments

Astrobiology Synthetic Biology

But We Have More Than One Example …

Carol despairs of having truly agnostic biosignatures to detect alien life, as it is impossible to extrapolate from the one example of life that we know. But that is the gift of synthetic biology, inductive logic, and reductionism. We induce agnostic biosignatures by understanding the chemistry required for biology.

By Steven A. Benner April 21, 2022Astrobiology, Synthetic BiologyNo Comments

Life Life on Mars NASA Synthetic Biology

NASA Headquarters Misses the Ball. Polyelectrolytes as the Key to Agnostic Life Finding

Synthetic biology, 20 years ago, taught NASA how to search generally, agnostically, and universally for alien life. NASA still does not understand the opportunity

By Steven A. Benner April 16, 2022Life, Life on Mars, NASA, Synthetic BiologyNo Comments

Astrobiology NASA

Is ignorance bliss? NASA’s NfoLD Workshop

Cite as: Benner, S. A. (2022) "Is ignorance bliss? NASA’s NfoLD Workshop". Primordial Scoop, e20220403. https://doi.org/10.52400/TMUG1175 One approach to find new ways to solve an old problem begins by throwing…

By Steven A. Benner April 3, 2022Astrobiology, NASANo Comments

Astrobiology NASA

Science traceability matrices. Organized thinking, or organized biases?

NASA's workshop this week seeks to use STMs to speed the creation of new ideas to guide missions to detect life in the Solar System. But do STMs simply provide a veneer of respectability to old ideas, blocking the emergence of the new?

By Steven A. Benner March 25, 2022Astrobiology, NASANo Comments