Life on Mars?
Futher Reading
January/February 2010, pages 14-16
The birth of our solar system (by Maria Lugaro)
Discusses how understanding the origins of solar system radioactivity could provide other information, including the likelihood of life on other planets.
August 2009, pages 18-21
Outback search for life on Mars (by Carol Oliver and Malcolm Walter)
Explains that evidence in Western Australia of early life on Earth may provide clues about possible life on Mars.
August 2002, pages 24-25
Astronomers look to Goldilocks for ET (by Pat Sheil)
Describes research efforts that are looking beyond our solar system to find planets similar to ours.
January/February 2002, pages 38-40
Down under Mars research a step closer (by Jennifer Laing)
Describes an attempt to find Mars-like sites in the Australian outback, where scientists could test equipment and technology.
April/May 2010, pages 44-82
Special: SETI@50: The hunt for aliens turns 50
Provides a series of articles on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
August 2007, pages 46-47
Children of Mars (by Paul Davies)
Explains how life on Earth may have come from Mars.
A collection of New Scientist articles on the search for life beyond Earth is available.
13 August 2008, pages 6-7
Phoenix uncovers history of liquid water on Mars (by Rachel Courtland)
Discusses the discovery of water and perchlorate by the Phoenix Mars Lander.
4 August 2008
Phoenix Mars lander 'tastes' first sample of water ice (by Devin Powell)
Confirms the presence of water on Mars.
16 July 2008
Mineral maps show widespread water on early Mars (by Maggie McKee)
Describes the amount and location of water on early Mars.
26 June 2008
The most extreme life-forms in the universe (by Anna Davison)
Examines organisms that survive in extreme conditions on Earth and their relevance to extraterrestrial life.
26 June 2008
Martian soil could grow turnips, Phoenix finds (by Rachel Courtland)
Describes analysis of soil on Mars by the Phoenix lander.
29 May 2008
Was Mars too salty for life? (by Stephen Battersby)
Proposes that the salt levels discovered on Mars may be too high to support life.
23 May 2008, pages 35-39
Fire and ice: What really happened to water on Mars (by Stuart Clark)
Reviews possible explanations for what has happened to previous surface water on Mars and its implications for life.
20 March 2008
Chloride salts on Mars may have preserved past life (by Maggie McKee)
Discusses whether chloride deposits on Mars may harbour life.
25 July 2007, pages 42-45
Mars: What flows beneath (by Ivan Semeniuk)
Provides an overview of the objectives of the Phoenix Mission.
12 July 2003, pages 24-39
This special issue discussing life beyond Earth contains the following articles:
- Our greatest quest (by Martin Rees)
- Look of life... (by Betsy Mason)
- Born lucky (by Paul Davies)
- Look who's talking (by Steve Nadis)
18 December 2007
Martian meteorite harbors life's building blocks (by JR Minkel)
Proposes that organic molecules inside space rock were probably the result of chemical reactions
May 2007, pages 24-33
The mystery of methane on Mars and Titan (by Sushil K. Atreya)
Proposes reasons for the presence of methane on Mars and Titan.
August 2001, pages 36-41
The ice of life (by David F. Blake and Peter Jenniskens)
Describes the connection between interstellar ice and organic compounds.
December 1997, pages 36-41
The case for relic life on Mars (by Everett K. Gibson Jr, David S. McKay, Kathie Thomas-Keprta and Christopher S. Romanek)
An early article that reviews the evidence from meteorite ALH84001 suggesting previous life existed on Mars.
Page updated March 2010.