On 7 August 1996 a team led by David McKay of NASA announced in Science that a potato-sized meteorite from Mars, ALH84001, found in the Allan Hills of Antarctica in 1984, contained features that might be traces of ancient microbial life: tiny carbonate globules, organic molecules and shapes resembling fossil bacteria. The rock, 4.1 billion years old, had been blasted off Mars about 16 million years ago and fell to Earth 13,000 years ago. President Clinton commented on the discovery. Most scientists later concluded that non-biological processes could explain the evidence, but the episode revived the search for life on Mars and helped lead to the Mars rover programme.
Before and after
- 19 June 1996Origins of Chess960
- 28 June 1996Constitution of Ukraine
- 17 July 1996Founding of Community of Portuguese Language Countries
- 31 July 1996Creation of Windows NT 4.0
- 7 August 1996NASA announces possible Martian microfossils in a meteorite
- 9 August 1996Publication of A Game of Thrones
- 14 August 1996Construction of Johan Cruyff Arena
- 13 September 1996Death of Tupac Shakur
- 19 September 1996Founding of Arctic Council
More in Universe & space
- 1 May 1949Discovery of Nereid
- 20 August 1977Launch of Voyager 2
- 28 July 1989Discovery of Galatea
- 23 July 1995Discovery of Comet Hale-Bopp
- 15 May 2005Discovery of Hydra
- 10 September 2005Discovery of Dysnomia
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.