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The Viking biological investigation - Preliminary resultsA preliminary progress report is presented for the Viking biological investigation through its first month. The carbon assimilation, gas exchange, and labeled release experiments are described in detail, and the chronology of the experiments is outlined. For the first experiment, it is found that a small amount of gas was converted into organic material in one sample and that heat treatment of a duplicate sample prevented such conversion. In the second experiment, a substantial amount of O2 was detected along with significant increases in CO2 and small changes in N2. In the third experiment, a significant amount of radioactive gas was evolved from one sample, but not from a duplicate heat-treated sample. Possible biological and nonbiological interpretations are considered for these results. It is concluded that while the experiments provide clear evidence for the occurrence of chemical reactions and while the results do not violate any prima facie criteria for biological processes, a definitive answer cannot yet be given to the question of whether life exists on Mars.
Document ID
19760062481
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Klein, H. P.
(Biospherics Research Corp. Hillsboro, OR, United States)
Oyama, V. I.
(Biospherics Research Corp. Hillsboro, OR, United States)
Berdahl, B. J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Horowitz, N. H.
(Biospherics Research Corp. Hillsboro, OR, United States)
Hobby, G. L.
(California Institute of Technology Pasadena, Calif., United States)
Levin, G. V.
(Biospherics Research Corp. Hillsboro, OR, United States)
Straat, P. A.
(Biospherics, Inc. Rockville, Md., United States)
Lederberg, J.
(Stanford University Stanford, Calif., United States)
Rich, A.
(MIT Cambridge, Mass., United States)
Hubbard, J. S.
(Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, Ga., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1976
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 194
Subject Category
Space Biology
Accession Number
76A45447
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-05-002-308
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7069
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-9690
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-12311
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-13422
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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