The purpose of this project was to use a terrestrial model of subsurface life as an archetype for life on Mars. This Major Qualifying Project entailed a scanning electron microscopic search, with energy dispersive spectra analysis, of subsurface life in rock extracted from two South African gold mines. Several lines of evidence indicate the presence of biomarkers in the subsurface rock samples. This project was conducted at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, along with NASA's Mars Meteorite Research Team.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Ford, Jill Caroline
• DeStefano, Andrea Lee
• Marcks, Seana W.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 99B022M

Advisor

• Miller, Judith E.
• McNamara, Karen M.

Year

• 1999

Sponsor

• Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Date created

• 1999-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright