A former NASA scientist has claimed the agency found alien life on Mars as far back as the 1970’s. Gilbert Levin, writing in Scientific American, said the Viking Missions uncovered the existence of micro-organisms and signs of past water on Mars supported his claims.
The Viking missions were two space probes launched towards Mars in 1975. After orbiting the 4th planet from the Sun while NASA selected landing sites, they touched down on the red planet in 1976. The two probes landed 4,000 miles apart.
The images of the planet sent back while the probes orbited the planet gave credence to the belief that water had existed on Mars. Images showed huge river valleys, some with branches, extending over thousands of miles.
Levin wrote: “What is the evidence against the possibility of life on Mars?
“The astonishing fact is that there is none.
“Furthermore, laboratory studies have shown that some terrestrial microorganisms could survive and grow on Mars.”
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Mr. Levin was one of the scientists who examined martian soil – combining it with organic compounds for signs of CO2. If microorganisms were present in the Mars soil, they would metabolise the organic compound and release CO2 thus confirming the presence of alien life.
Four of the tests were positive, which would suggest alien life was found on Mars. The test were split between the 4,000 mile apart landers. NASA however said the tests did not conclusively prove alien life. Hinting at a cover up, Levin said of NASA’s plans to send another mission to Mars in 2020, “NASA has already announced its 2020 Mars lander will not contain a life-detection test.”