Plains of Mars: Home Sweet Home?
Now, even the most open-minded human being would be skeptical at the proposed statement, above and for good reason, too. That is why the very scientisist who proposed the idea, Dr. Steven Benner, is very skeptical, himself. Let us untwist this idea from the media’s perspective and put it into our own. Let us start with the question we have been wondering for years: What is the origin of life? Benner answers this question, indirectly, in an interview(1): “There’s no better way to understand this intimate relationship between molecular structure and biology than try and make a biology of your own…” Dr. Benner is the leading chemist in the field of synthetic biology, and for a living he tries to synthesize life out of various chemicals. New York times reports (2) that he has synthesized RNA in the lab, a precursor to DNA, but for this to happen naturally, two vital chemicals must be present: borate and molybdate. Where might these chemicals be found? In the presence of oxygen and dry land (desert like areas). Though since deserts and oxygen were not around before life formed on Earth, these chemicals must have come from somewhere else. A recent analysis of a meteor from Mars shows that the object was highly composed of boron, a form of borate. There is also plenty of desert-like land on Mars, as well as indicators of the planet once having an abundance of oxygen. You see where Benner is going with this… Now, of course, this is only one possibility for the origin of life, based on one method of synthesizing RNA. So naturally, we are skeptical, as is the scientist that proposed the idea. However, this skepticism from the source makes us trust the source and give real consideration for the idea. After all, the evidence is there. So, are we all Martians? We may soon find out…
How legitimate is Benner? Find out for yourself on his page at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution:
http://www.ffame.org/sbenner.php
(1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvEWFXGb6ZE
(2) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/science/space/a-far-flung-possibility-for-the-origin-of-life.html?ref=science
