Martian Puzzles Stay Intact

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 13

Martian Puzzles Stay Intact

The recently-announced breakdown of the Russian Mars-1 spacecraft dashes all hopes of solving some of the mysteries of Mars for a further couple of years at least. The next opportunity to launch a Mars probe will not be until the end of next year, when both the Russians and the Americans plan multiple launchings. By far the most fascinating puzzle concerns the possible existence of life on Mars. For decades it has been known that Martian surface conditions are sufficiently benign to allow the growth of life-forms not too different from some lowly terrestial creatures and plants. The possibility of life has been supported by the conclusive evidence that the Martian polar caps are crystallised water and by the fact that a quarter of the planet's surface is darker

than the rest and undergoes seasonal colour variations. Spectral analysis has suggested the presence on Mars of complex hydrocarbon material which may repreasnt living organisms According to Dr Manfred Eimer. a senior scientist of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, builders of the Mariner planetary spacecraft, at least four questions must be answered before the existence of Martian life can be firmly established. They are: how does it live, what does it look like, wnat does it eat and what Is It made of? Dr. Eimer makes the point very strongly that we must not expect Martian life to be similar to earth-life, even though it may be very tempting to do so. But then, science-fiction writers, whether they be scientists or not, have successfully avoided • this temptation for at least 1800 years.