Methane clouds released at the Martian poles could be the effect of Martian micorbes living under the surface of the planet, The Sun newspaper reports today.
NASA announced a few days ago that a press briefing would take place this afternoon (8 pm CET) to discuss new findings on the Red Planet. No press release has been issued so far.
I don’t really want to comment on the science, of which the details are sketchy in The Sun’s typically sensationalist style. Did The Sun break an embargo here? The Guardian and The Telegraph have also picked up on the story now, albeit in a more nuanced way (although the Guardian’s Roswell-like picture is not particularly helpful) .
I look foward to the press briefing and will most likely post a follow-up here later today or tomorrow.
I doubt NASA could shine a light on this. Methane emissions alone might be an indication of biological methanogenesis or it could be just a steam vent from an old volcano letting off some excess build up. From orbit and without robots on the spots where methane emissions are being detected, it’s very difficult to tie the gas to living things.