UA scientist: Discovery is 'piece in puzzle'
By Aaron Mackey
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.06.2008
While the discovery of an oxidizing agent in Mars' arctic soil represents an unanticipated twist in the Phoenix lander's mission, it doesn't slam the door on the possibility that the red planet could support life, scientists said Tuesday.
In fact, the discovery of perchlorate during chemistry tests aboard the UA-led Phoenix Mars Mission probably creates more questions than answers about the surface of Mars, and could even help make the case for habitability, the scientists said.
While cautioning that the discovery of perchlorate, an oxidizing agent found in rocket fuel, still had to be confirmed through more experiments, Peter Smith, the University of Arizona's lead scientist for the mission, rejected speculation that its presence eliminated the possibility of life on the planet.
"These compounds are quite stable and don't destroy organic compounds," he said. "This is an important piece in the puzzle, and it is neither good nor bad for life."
