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Is There Life on Mars?

by Rob_VandeWeghe

Are we alone in the universe or is there life on other planets?
And perhaps even as close our next door neighbor, the planet
Mars?

Mars itself is � because it is further away from our heat source
the Sun � a cold desert planet. So far without any signs of life
nor liquid water on the surface.

In 2002 the Mars Odyssey Orbiter discovered that large amounts
of frozen, below the surface, water (ice) might be present on
Mars� North pole. As water is an essential prerequisite for any
life to exist, the Phoenix Mars Lander was dispatched to
investigate. The Phoenix landed, safely and as scheduled, on May
25th, 2008. Now it is in the process of using its robot arm to
scoop samples of Mars� soil and examine these in its onboard lab
for the presence of water and other substances as well as any
signs of current or past life.

What can we expect to find? Could there be any life on Mars?

In many ways, Mars � just like Earth � is a very privileged
planet. It is orbiting a steady burning star (our Sun) of the
right size and age to provide a rather constant source of light
and heat. Mars � just like Earth � is also in a perfectly suited
solar system. Of the right age and providing protection from
comets and asteroids through the presence of much larger planets
(especially Jupiter) in its outer orbits. And Mars � just like
Earth � is located at the likely only possible location in its
galaxy (the Milky Way) that will provide enough building
materials but is not in a (too) heavy populated area of solar
systems. The vast, vast majority of solar systems in our (and
other) galaxies are located near the center or on the spiral
arms. These areas are overcrowded and therefore life destroying
collisions (like on a busy intersection of highways) occur quite
often. Only planets in solar systems in-between spiral arms (like
our solar system) stand even a chance to provide a �safe�
environment for life to exist.

So, Mars is off to a promising start and in a much better
situation that any other planet we know that might have a chance
to be habitable for life. But that does not mean that it is
perfect for life (like Earth is).

For starters, it is too cold. Even the simplest organic life
forms require average temperatures above freezing and not
exceeding the boiling point of water. Mars is therefore too cold
with is average temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

And life requires liquid water. Water � and the presence of at
least another 26 essential elements � is a prerequisite to even
consider the possibility of life. Therefore the engineers at NASA
targeted the Mars polar region not expecting to find current life
but perhaps evidence of past life during a time when Mars might
have been closer to the Sun and therefore having a more
life-inviting temperature.

Still even the presence of liquid water and all other required
elements, like carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and so on are not enough
to make a planet potentially habitable. Studying life on Earth we
now understand and appreciate that organic life also requires
other conditions to be �just right�, like rotation speed, mass
and gravity of the planet, presence and composition of an
atmosphere, magnetic field around the planet, volcanic activity,
plate tectonics, axial tilt, shape of the orbit, ozone levels and
so on.

And if all these conditions at some time in Mars� history might
have all worked out, then that does not automatically imply that
life also �developed�. Having all the building blocks of life
present does not �automatically� build life. Just like the
presence of all building materials for a house on a property not
�automatically� erects a beautiful residence.

It is exciting to learn more about our universe and the
complexity of life by using our most advanced scientific skills
to study our neighboring planet. Let us just make sure that we
objectively interpret the knowledge we have gained and will gain
through the Phoenix Mars Lander and subsequent projects: our
Earth is extraordinary uniquely positioned and composed to allow
for life to exist. So uniquely and against all statistical odds
that it gives a remarkable but resounding testimony to the words
of Israel�s King David who wrote almost 3000 years ago:

�The heavens declare the glory of God� (Psalm 19:1)

Rob VandeWeghe is a skeptic turned Christian by studying the
foundations for Christianity. More articles like this by Rob, as
well as his book �Prepared to Answer� and more evidences for
Christianity are available at <a
href=http://www.windmillministries.org>www.WindmillMinistries.org</a>.

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