Topic: What is Consuming Hydrogen and Acetylene on Titan?

[Nemesis]

Link to full article

PASADENA, Calif. - Two new papers based on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft scrutinize the complex chemical activity on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. While non-biological chemistry offers one possible explanation, some scientists believe these chemical signatures bolster the argument for a primitive, exotic form of life or precursor to life on Titan's surface. According to one theory put forth by astrobiologists, the signatures fulfill two important conditions necessary for a hypothesized "methane-based life."

One key finding comes from a paper online now in the journal Icarus that shows hydrogen molecules flowing down through Titan's atmosphere and disappearing at the surface. Another paper online now in the Journal of Geophysical Research maps hydrocarbons on the Titan surface and finds a lack of acetylene.

[FoaS_XC]

Just so long as they don't come at us with Fusions and Hellbores, I'm cool

[atheorhaven]

Hydrogen?  Acetylene?  My gawd, someone's welding up another Death Star like Mimas!

Where's Lando Calrissian and Bruce Willis when you need them?

[Kreeargh]

Hydrogen?  Acetylene?  My gawd, someone's welding up another Death Star like Mimas!

Where's Lando Calrissian and Bruce Willis when you need them?

I wonder more how they can talk this type of dogma looking through a darn telescope. Its not like they have any samples or anything. Or do they 

[Nemesis]

I wonder more how they can talk this type of dogma looking through a darn telescope. Its not like they have any samples or anything. Or do they 

As I recall the Cassini-Huygens mission has the Cassini probe doing multiple flybys and the Huygens probe is a lander that descended to the surface.  So it is a little more local information than just "telescopes".

[Corbomite]

I wonder more how they can talk this type of dogma looking through a darn telescope. Its not like they have any samples or anything. Or do they 

As I recall the Cassini-Huygens mission has the Cassini probe doing multiple flybys and the Huygens probe is a lander that descended to the surface.  So it is a little more local information than just "telescopes".

Yeah they even have images of Titan's surface -




As soon as they figure out a way to economically melt through a mile or so of ice we will be going to Io too to see if the vast under-ice ocean they suspect is there is really there.

[IndyShark]

That's a great article!

Ever since HG Wells wrote War of the Worlds, we have been expecting an invasion from Mars. Has anyone alerted Space Defense Command?

[Sirgod]

Obviously, it's man made global warming.



<ducks>

Seriously, interesting read.

Stephen

[Kreeargh]

That's a great article!

Ever since HG Wells wrote War of the Worlds, we have been expecting an invasion from Mars. Has anyone alerted Space Defense Command?

LOL i think that was tryed with with the movies 2001 and 2010,  Did not work back then wont work now    
I as a welder wish they could capture that Acetylene and store/ship it back it would make the cost  to do my job go way down.