The Rock From Mars

January 30, 2006
When geologist Robbie Score spied the little green rock lying on the bluish-white Antarctic landscape on a December day in 1984, she had no idea it would change her life, provoke fierce controversies among scientists around the world and challenge humankind's view of ourselves. Her discovery was the meteorite from Mars that captured the world's attention in 1996 when NASA scientists claimed that minuscule structures deep within it were the fossilized remains of ancient Martian life. As former Washington Post science writer Sawyer relates, the aftermath wasn't pretty. Supporters and doubters quickly circled their wagons and showed that world-class scientists don't always play well with others. Actually, as Sawyer tells readers, the nanostructures were the least convincing evidence for life. Other evidence - equally tiny magnetic structures similar to those made by bacteria here on Earth - was much stronger. Many readers probably are under the impression that the claims have been debunked, but the author explains that using more sophisticated instruments and techniques, supporters actually have bolstered their case, although without future geological samples from Mars, we may never know if life ever flourished or still exists there. This book is an engrossing read for science buffs and general readers alike.

Starred review from February 1, 2006
The titular -rock - (actually a meteorite) was found in the Antarctic in 1984. Misclassified, it lay in storage until 1990, when it came into the hands of a researcher working with Vesta meteorites. As the rock did not fit the pattern of his other samples, it piqued his interest. What followed can only be described as both a scientific detective story and an epic tale of human ambition, bureaucratic maneuvering, and professional rivalries. Sawyer, an award-winning journalist, introduces us to the scientists who became obsessed with the rock and takes us through the amazing discovery process that led them to the controversial conclusion that this fractured lump contained evidence that life had existed on Mars in the distant past. An intense scientific uproar ensued, bringing into question how we define life and what constitutes evidence of life. Sawyer's story is riveting, drawing us into the pursuit of truth, professional jealousies, and the scientific controversy. Strongly recommended for popular and academic science collections." -Betty Galbraith, Washington State Univ. Lib., Pullman"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2005
Meteorites stand out against Antarctica's white crystal desert, which is where Roberta Score found the treasure from Mars dutifully named ALH84001. Shipped to NASA's Texas Space Center, the rock's strange carbon compounds eventually inspired a group of fervid scientists working in secret to conclude that they were examining nothing less than fossilized remains of ancient microbial Martian life. Their claim galvanized the international scientific community and the Clinton White House. Sawyer, a celebrated science journalist who writes with energy, clarity, and levity, vividly portrays the key players and thoroughly explicates the complex science involved. Opening a portal onto the nexus of science, politics, and the media, she relishes the elaborate strategies surrounding the public announcement of this bold assertion; the leaks that preceded it; and the raging debate that followed. As suspenseful and intriguing as the human drama is, what is most memorable are Sawyer's precise descriptions of the mysterious molecular landscapes the scientists discerned within the meteorite. Although the theory of Martian life was disproved, much was learned from the impeccable data the dedicated scientists gathered, and their inquiry has advanced our effort to decode the cosmos.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

November 21, 2005
When geologist Robbie Score spied the little green rock lying on the bluish-white Antarctic landscape on a December day in 1984, she had no idea it would change her life, provoke fierce controversies among scientists around the world and challenge humankind's view of ourselves. Her discovery was the meteorite from Mars that captured the world's attention in 1996 when NASA scientists claimed that minuscule structures deep within it were the fossilized remains of ancient Martian life. As former Washington Post
science writer Sawyer relates, the aftermath wasn't pretty. Supporters and doubters quickly circled their wagons and showed that world-class scientists don't always play well with others. Actually, as Sawyer tells readers, the nanostructures were the least convincing evidence for life. Other evidence—equally tiny magnetic structures similar to those made by bacteria here on Earth—was much stronger. Many readers probably are under the impression that the claims have been debunked, but the author explains that using more sophisticated instruments and techniques, supporters actually have bolstered their case, although without future geological samples from Mars, we may never know if life ever flourished or still exists there. This book is an engrossing read for science buffs and general readers alike.