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The sciency internet is alive with consensus condemnation and universal damnation for a new paper from Rhawn Joseph, now dubbed the “Tiger King of Mars.” In the article below, Joseph et al. continues a radical break from conventional interpretations of Martian photography, believing a number of odd features photographed by the Martian rovers are…wait for it…mushrooms and fungi.
The Tusk has seen so much mistreatment and knee jerk criticism of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis, (an order of magnitude less heretical science), I feel some empathy for the poor guy — right or wrong. It’s so sad the press can’t find time to give him — or his co-authors — a telephone call before tearing his ass off on-line as a fraud.
I don’t think he is fraud, or a hoaxter. Probably wrong, surely iconoclastic, but Rhawn Joseph in my distant estimation sincerely believes every word he writes. And personally I find his paper well-written and worthy of somewhat thoughtful criticism and refutation, not ad hominem attacks.
While it is very hard to believe NASA has missed mushrooms on Mars, it sure would be nice if they would take one of those robo tools and give a Martian hematite sphere a little “poke” — just to see if it’s puffy — or squishy.
A responsible take: Scientists Believe These Photos Show Mushrooms on Mars—and Proof of Life
Some links from a “PolitiFact” drive-by debunking (begging the question, have we run out lying politicians?):
Futurism, “Scientists Claim to Spot Fungus Growing on Mars in NASA Rover Photos,” May 6, 2021
Futurism, “Experts Shred Paper Claiming to Identify Mushrooms on Mars,” May 7, 2021
CNET, “No, NASA photos are not evidence of fungus growing on Mars, sorry,” May 6, 2021
TNW News, “Mushrooms on Mars is a hoax — stop believing hack ‘scientists,’” May 7, 2021
South China Morning Post, “Fungi on Mars? Researchers claim signs of life on red planet,” May 7, 2021
ResearchGate, “Fungi on Mars? Evidence of Growth and Behavior From Sequential Images,” accessed May 7, 2021
Email interview with Dr. Kenneth Nealson, professor emeritus of earth sciences and expert in microbial life in extreme environments at the University of Southern California, May 7, 2021
Email interview with Dr. Edwin Kite, assistant professor in the department of the geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, May 7, 2021
University of Chicago, “Mars expert available to discuss Perseverance rover landing scheduled for Thursday,” Feb. 16, 2021
Vice, “This Man Is Suing NASA For Ignoring a Jelly Donut-Shaped Rock He Thinks Is Life on Mars,” Jan. 30, 2014
ResearchGate, “Rhawn Gabriel Joseph,” accessed May 9, 2021
SpringerLink, “Retraction Note to: Life on Venus and the interplanetary transfer of biota from Earth,” accessed May 9, 2021
CNET, “The fungus on Mars and the man who thinks he found life on other planets,” May 6, 2021
Retraction Watch, “‘Prince of panspermia’ has a paper retracted, and sues Springer Nature,” Oct. 6, 2020
ResearchGate, “About,” accessed May 9, 2021
https://cosmictusk.com/wp-content/uploads/FungiOnMarsFinal1.pdf
I agree with you that criticism of any scientific observation should be founded in the very science relative to the topic first and foremost. I may not agree with a particular scientific statement, but I will always await rigorous analysis before I either criticize or agree with those particular findings. My allegiance to the YDIH evolved from the review of numerous information sources first. The Carolina Bays troubled me for awhile until I listened to Randall Carlson’s discussion pointing out the genesis of the rock matter found.
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