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LequteMan
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New evidence unveiled today supports the theory that life began on Mars and travelled to Earth on space rocks.
Professor Benner, from The Westheimer Institute for Science and Technology in Florida, will today present evidence at the European Association of Geochemistry's annual conference that a mineral essential to the creation of life was only available on Mars.
"The evidence seems to be building that we are actually all Martians; that life started on Mars and came to Earth on a rock," Professor Benner said in a statement.
His evidence is based on the evidence that the ingredients needed to create life included the oxidised mineral form of the element molybdenum.
"Analysis of a Martian meteorite recently showed that there was boron on Mars; we now believe that the oxidised form of molybdenum was there too,"
"This form of molybdenum couldn't have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because three billion years ago the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did,"
"It's yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet he said.
His view is the latest in a long-list of scientific theories that life began on the red planet that is our nearest neighbour before jumping over to Earth thanks to a handy bit of rock flying around space.
Professor Malcolm Walter, director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of New South Wales, said the idea that life started on Mars was not new but the theory suffered from a lack of proof.
Professor Benner, from The Westheimer Institute for Science and Technology in Florida, will today present evidence at the European Association of Geochemistry's annual conference that a mineral essential to the creation of life was only available on Mars.
"The evidence seems to be building that we are actually all Martians; that life started on Mars and came to Earth on a rock," Professor Benner said in a statement.
His evidence is based on the evidence that the ingredients needed to create life included the oxidised mineral form of the element molybdenum.
"Analysis of a Martian meteorite recently showed that there was boron on Mars; we now believe that the oxidised form of molybdenum was there too,"
"This form of molybdenum couldn't have been available on Earth at the time life first began, because three billion years ago the surface of the Earth had very little oxygen, but Mars did,"
"It's yet another piece of evidence which makes it more likely life came to Earth on a Martian meteorite, rather than starting on this planet he said.
His view is the latest in a long-list of scientific theories that life began on the red planet that is our nearest neighbour before jumping over to Earth thanks to a handy bit of rock flying around space.
Professor Malcolm Walter, director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of New South Wales, said the idea that life started on Mars was not new but the theory suffered from a lack of proof.
