Life on Enceladus?

Enceladus geyers, courtesy NASA

I wrote previously about the possibility that life might be discovered in the oceans of Saturn's moon Enceladus, and I proposed that genetic testing would show it to be related to life on Earth. So how did it get there all the way from Earth?

Note what the article says: "The salt is the same familiar sodium chloride found in our oceans..." What if, at some point in the Earth's history (say, about 4,000 years ago), a great deal of water from underneath the crust spewed out, some of it raining down salty water over the Earth and into our oceans, and some it reaching escape velocity? Do we have any record of this?

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month--on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. (Genesis 7:11)

Living organisms may not turn up on other planets, but if they do, this would  explain how they got there. On reaching space, the water would flash-freeze, preserving any bacteria and small forms of life contained in it. The sun would drive a form of evaporative jetting much as comets do, sending the ice crystals spiraling out to the outer solar system where they would be captured by the gravity of the outer giants and rain down on their moons. On Enceladus, with the ice melting beneath the surface, some of the bacteria might revive and grow. The likelihood of this happening is slim, but more likely than life coming from non-life. As Pasteur demonstrated, all life is from life. You can read more about this Enceladus scenario in my novel, Beyond Earth.

Saturn's Saltwater Moon

Simulation of plumes on Enceladus

Two teams of researchers reviewing data from the Cassini spacecraft came to the same conclusion that Saturn's moon Enceladus not only has a global ocean of liquid water beneath its ice, it's salt water. CNET explains how the researchers analyzed imagery of icy plumes on the surface:

Looking at this data, the team was able to determine the content of the plumes -- and by extension the subsurface ocean -- to be highly salty with an alkaline pH of around 11 or 12. The salt is the same familiar sodium chloride found in our oceans and on our french fries here on Earth, but there's also a healthy dose of sodium carbonate, also known as "soda ash," which we use here in detergents as a water softener and sometimes in cooking.

The researchers get very excited about the possibility that this salty soda water might harbor some form of life. Why does this idea so excite them? Because in their minds, this would be a vindication of their belief in Evolution. If life was found on Enceladus, wouldn't it prove Evolution?

In a word, no. In my novel, Beyond Earth, I've written a chapter about just such a scenario where life is discovered in the ocean of Enceladus. But it proves to be so problematic for the Evolutionist that he... well that would be giving away the story.

How could discovering life in space be a problem to an Evolutionist? When that life proves to be genetically identical to life on Earth. In any court of law, genetic testing proves paternity beyond a shadow of a doubt. In this case, if life is discovered there, and it proves to be genetically related to life on Earth, then the simple conclusion is that it came from Earth. Then the question is, how did it get there from here? I'll get to that in my next post.

The Search for Extraterrestrial Life - A Quest of Faith?

Fine-grained mudstone on Mars, courtesy NASA

The New York Times declares, "Mars Could Have Supported Life Long Ago, NASA Says," yet look at all the unknowns mentioned right at the top of the article (emphasis added):

Several billion years ago, Mars may well have been a pleasant place for tiny microbes to live, with plenty of water as well as minerals that could have served as food, NASA scientists said Tuesday at a news conference on the latest findings from their Mars rover. But they have yet to find signs that actual microbes did live in that oasis.

What is it that keeps the these scientists going despite the lack of proof? It appears to be faith. My science fiction novel, Beyond Earth, explores this, following a scientist who is "certain life is out there, somewhere." At one point, he complains to a colleague:

--The universe is so big, I could go on searching my whole life and never run across the proof. That is... proof to convince the skeptics. I feel like Schiaparelli seeing canals on Mars; or worse, some UFO cultist who, when confronted with the lack of proof, says "But that just shows how good they are at covering it up."

Consider how faith-like the search for extraterrestrial life can be:

• There is no experimental proof of it.
• There is no historic evidence of it.
• There is nothing known for certain about its form or nature.
• Its supporters persist despite a lack of positive evidence.
• Any evidence to the contrary is interpreted by the dogma rather than calling the dogma into question.
• Only a universal negative would be accepted as proof that it does not exist.

Some day we may find life on other planets. But is it from other planets? I'm sure that will be debated. In the meantime though, it appears to remain a quest of faith.

Organic Materials on Mars

Mars soil samples, courtesy NASA

Space.com reports that NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has detected organic materials on Mars' surface, that is, compounds containing carbon. What's interesting is the assumptions by which they interpret the discovery:

However, the science team can't yet be sure whether these compounds truly come from Mars, or arise from contamination transported to the Red Planet onboard Curiosity.

Notice the only two sources currently being considered for the organic material:

1. It grew on Mars, and is evidence of life evolving independently on Mars
2. It was contamination brought by the Curiosity rover from Earth

 We see this clearly in the following:

"Even though [Mahaffy's] instrument detected organic compounds, first of all we have to determine whether they're indigenous to Mars," said John Grotzinger, Curiosity's project scientist.

Indigenous or contamination... But what about a third alternative? That the organic material came from Earth some time in the ancient past, say around 4,000 years ago? That would imply a catastrophic event, one that in the minds of many scientists is unthinkable. Read Chapter 7 of Beyond Earth and find out why.

Has Curiosity rover found what my book predicts?

Fox News reports about NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars:

Mars mystery: has Curiosity rover made big discovery?

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has apparently made a discovery "for the history books," but we'll have to wait a few weeks to find out what the new Red Planet find may be, media reports suggest.

The discovery was made by Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars instrument, NPR reported Tuesday, Nov. 20. SAM is the rover's onboard chemistry lab, and it's capable of identifying organic compounds — the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it.

Read more...

Compare that with Beyond Earth, Chapter 7, "The Fields of Mars."

It came through as mere numbers on the monitor.

“It’s life,” said Dr. Bailey. “Look at that spike in ATP.”

“Life,” said Dr. Ash. He said it quietly, with reverence, as if he were saying a prayer. Then he said to Dr. Bailey, “It’s time to spread the good news. Will you help me finish off the press release?”

“Of course,” said Dr. Bailey.

Life in some form may well be found on Mars, but if it is, it won't be what most scientists expect. In fact, I'm certain it will leave a good many scientists scratching their heads when they find out what it is.