Martian Life (ALH 84001)
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| Sizes | Giantmicrobes are based on actual microbes, cells, organisms and other critters, only 1,000,000 times actual size! Gigantic (GG) 40-60cm XL (XL) 25-38cm Original (PD) 12-20cm Minis (MM) 5-10cm each Keychain (KC) 5-10cm with clip |
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| Materials | Plush from all new materials. Stuffed with polyester fiber fill. Surface washable: sponge with water & soap, air dry. |
| Packaging | Each plush microbe includes a printed card with fun, educational and fascinating facts about the actual microbe or cell. |
| Safety | Every product meets or exceeds U.S. and European standards for safety. For ages 3 and up. |
All about Martian Life (ALH 84001)
FACTS: There is little doubt that the rock ALH 84001 came from Mars – the gases trapped inside the rock are identical to those found in the Martian atmosphere by the Viking probes. However, the evidence for life inside the rock is widely debated!
In 1996, Dr. David McKay and his co-workers reported that they had found shapes inside the rock that look like fossilized bacteria. Skeptics wondered if terrestrial-bacteria had simply crawled into the rock at some point after it arrived. But examinations made of other meteorites collected nearby in Antarctica found no bacteria inside (though recent NASA studies have demonstrated this possibility).
Mineral grains and chemical compounds (such as carbon and magnetite) commonly produced by known bacteria were also found in the rock. While these materials can be produced by inorganic processes, the organization of the substances suggested the presence of life. Most intriguingly, a quarter of the magnetite is of a type which, so far, is known only to be produced by life.
The debate continues – and many scientists are skeptical. But, even if the evidence is less than rock solid, it is indeed possible that we have been invaded by Martians!
| Name | It’s named after the location and year it was found, the Allan Hills ice field of Antarctica in 1984. |
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| Actual Size | It’s an igneous rock that weighs 1.9 kilograms, or 4.2 pounds. An igneous rock is one that forms from crystallized lava. |
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| Where It Lives | ALH84001 is a potato-shaped meteorite that came from Mars. Although it wasn’t sufficiently proven, it contains what appears to be fossilized evidence of the remains of ancient Martian life. Scientists estimate that the rock formed 4.5 billion years ago from volcanic lava on Mars. It began its descent to Earth 16 million years ago, moving at 11,000 miles per hour, and landed an estimated 13,000 years ago! |
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| History | Discovered by a U.S. meteorite hunting expedition from the ANSMET program on December 27, 1984. ANSMET, or Antarctic Search for Meteorites, has been sponsored and funded by the National Science Foundation since 1977. |
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| Fascinating Facts | In the 1971 song by David Bowie, Life on Mars, the girl is told that there’s a far greater life somewhere, but she finds herself bitterly disappointed that she can’t access it. In a way, we inhabitants of Earth can relate. Scientists agree that Mars was once inhabited by life, but their evidence continues to fall short. |
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