Update Alien Life On Mars

WIRED's science blog is reporting about rumors coming from the discovery of water on the Red Planet: Rumors are flying this weekend that Mars Phoenix has made a major discovery relating to the potential for life on Mars.One source for the rumor is this report from AVIATION WEEK, which claims:The White House has been alerted by NASA about plans to make an announcement soon on major new Phoenix lander discoveries concerning the "potential for life" on Mars, scientists tell Aviation Week ">Sources say the new data do not indicate the discovery of existing or past life on Mars. Rather the data relate to habitability--the "potential" for Mars to support life--at the Phoenix arctic landing site, sources say.The data are much more complex than results related NASA's July 31 announcement that Phoenix has confirmed the presence of water ice at the site.UPDATE Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 7PM CDTNASA has announced and the media is reporting the presence of perchlorate in the Martian soil.Associated Press reports:"In itself, it is neither good nor bad for life," chief scientist Peter Smith of the University of Arizona in Tucson said of the chemical.The NASA Phoenix Mars web site reports: "We decided to show the public science in action because of the extreme interest in the Phoenix mission, which is searching for a habitable environment on the northern plains of Mars," Smith added. "Right now, we don't know whether finding perchlorate is good news or bad news for possible life on Mars."