NASA scientists have revealed that the large quantities of methane gas detected on Mars, are almost certainly evidence that someone, or something, has farted on the surface of the Red Planet during the last 100million years.
The claim in Science Journal says that the gas must have been produced by flatulence, since none of the other known prerequisites for its existence appear on Mars.
The Earth's crust contains huge amounts of methane. Large amounts of methane are produced anaerobically by methanogenesis. Other sources include mud volcanoes, which are connected with deep geological faults, and livestock, primarily cows.
Soil samples from Mars have shown no sign of methane, and the lack of volcanic activity on the largely flat surface mean that the only source of the gas could be from cows which are now extinct, or else are hiding somewhere on the planet.
NASA methologist, Prof. Luis Petomaine, told us:
"One of our probes has sent back an image of what looks like cows, but it's hard to make out. If it is what we think it is, this could open the door to establishing a farm on Mars."
