NASA – The Primordial Scoop

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

The Mars’ magnetic shield would not work

Contrary to the popular belief, the magnetic shield would have a negligible effect on regeneration of Martian atmosphere.

By admin November 14, 2022Mars, NASA, Single ScoopsNo Comments

Astrobiology Single Scoops

NASA’s “Standards” White Paper. Does NASA’s drive for consensus make young scientists susceptible to being trampled by mastodons?

Survival in the Ice Age required youth who were able to balance instruction from their elders with a rebellious streak sufficient to reject their instructions when survival required adaptation. Does NASA's need for consensus upset this balance?

By Mark Harrison May 25, 2022Astrobiology, Single ScoopsNo Comments

Astrobiology Life on Mars NASA

How to Search for Life on Mars

This post provides additional discussion and references for How to Search for Life on Mars (Robert Zubrin, Steven Benner, and Jan Spacek, submitted to Scientific American)

By admin April 21, 2022Astrobiology, Life on Mars, NASANo Comments

Astrobiology Life

Grave Expectations

The problem with trying to codify an official protocol for recognizing biosignatures: We can try to devise rules for how detecting alien life should unfold, but E.T. might not play along.

By Guest Author April 19, 2022Astrobiology, Life1 Comment

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 Life NASA

2022 State of NASA Address: Astrobiology at NASA no longer looks for life on Mars

NASA gave up on looking for life on Mars, while planning to irreversibly biologically contaminate its surface. It is now up to private philanthropists to support life searching missions, while Mars is still biologically pristine. We know how to do it.

By Jan Spacek April 1, 2022Astrobiology, Life, NASA1 Comment

Astrobiology NASA

Is NASA making itself irrelevant to the search for life in the cosmos?

NASA holds this week a workshop to consider looking (again) for existing life on Mars … but only 20 years from now. By then, humans may have been on Mars for a decade, thanks to Elon Musk, or (maybe) someone less interested in planetary protection. Thus, in 2042, detecting indigenous Martian life will likely be much more difficult. NASA will be too late.

By Steven A. Benner March 23, 2022Astrobiology, NASANo Comments

Single Scoops

Gilbert Levin and Life on Mars

Gil Levin met the 1976 burden of proof for Mars life detection. Unfortunately, the community forgot that he did so.

By Steven A. Benner October 30, 2021Single Scoops2 Comments

Life 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.

By Jan Spacek February 11, 2021Life on Mars1 Comment

Life 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.

By Jan Spacek February 11, 2021Life on Mars6 Comments