Credit: NASA

 

In 1976, when two NASA Viking landers came full stop on the Red Planet, the stationary spacecraft were seeking to answer a weighty question: Is there life on Mars?

Gilbert Levin was the principal investigator of the Viking Labeled Release (LR) life detection experiment. The instrument at both landing locales got positive responses.

Credit: Gilbert Levin

 

 

However, a consensus of scientists did not agree his results were proof of life. In 1997 Levin concluded that the experiment had, indeed, detected life on Mars – and he’s championed that belief ever since.

 

 

 

Take a look at my new story up today on Space.com regarding this ongoing discussion about life detection on Mars – decades ago!

Go to:

https://www.space.com/41689-nasa-viking-mars-life-search-gil-levin.html

NOTE: Listen to The Space Show interview with Gil Levin, broadcast July 27, 2018, Broadcast 3160, by going to:

https://thespaceshow.com/show/27-jul-2018/broadcast-3160-dr.-gil-levin#disqus_thread

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