'Curiosity' - NASA Mars Rover - Due to land 5th Aug 2012

[RealSquirrels]

they're not going to - not with SAM, and not at mars atmospheric pressures - any liquid water would evaporate rather rapidly.

you also said 'water' which doesn't mean only liquid water.

[Eric Mc]

And yet they have spotted evidence of liquid water running on the surface of Mars - in very recent times (such as the last few days - not millions of years ago).

In certain circumstances, liquid water can exist on the surface of Mars - right now - for short periods of time.

[Grenoble]

Complex hydrocarbons?

Basic Proteins?

[RealSquirrels]

that is what i would expect too - of course many complex organic molecules, some the same as or similar to the building blocks of life on earth, are also found in interstellar space and in meteorites. so such compounds found on mars could have a non-biological origin.

[RealSquirrels]

Eric Mc said:

And yet they have spotted evidence of liquid water running on the surface of Mars - in very recent times (such as the last few days - not millions of years ago).

In certain circumstances, liquid water can exist on the surface of Mars - right now - for short periods of time.

yes, i totally agree. but it's unlikely that the rover would be in the same place as liquid surface water at the same time.

[Caruso]

RealSquirrels said:

that is what i would expect too - of course many complex organic molecules, some the same as or similar to the building blocks of life on earth, are also found in interstellar space and in meteorites. so such compounds found on mars could have a non-biological origin.

Especially if found at the bottom of a meteorite crater.

[Eric Mc]

RealSquirrels said:

Eric Mc said:

And yet they have spotted evidence of liquid water running on the surface of Mars - in very recent times (such as the last few days - not millions of years ago).

In certain circumstances, liquid water can exist on the surface of Mars - right now - for short periods of time.

yes, i totally agree. but it's unlikely that the rover would be in the same place as liquid surface water at the same time.

Don't know about that.

Mars Phoenix spotted globules of liquid water on its mission.

[Blackpuddin]

So, if any evidence of materials that are or were capable of supporting life is found, that would be two neighbouring planets that are or were capable of supporting life. A remarkable coincidence if you subscribe to the views of many that we are Alone In The Universe. Pass the Bible and a box of matches.

[Eric Mc]

Blackpuddin said:

So, if any evidence of materials that are or were capable of supporting life is found, that would be two neighbouring planets that are or were capable of supporting life. A remarkable coincidence if you subscribe to the views of many that we are Alone In The Universe. Pass the Bible and a box of matches.

The Bible is completely silent on alien life.
Many astonomers are Christians.

No need to burn anything.

[qube_TA]

It'll be methane, last time they found some they couldn't rule out it had been brought with it from Earth.

This time they should be able to rule out contamination.

[Simpo Two]

Eric Mc said:

The Bible is completely silent on alien life.
Many astonomers are Christians.

But most Christians are hypocrites, therefore logic does not apply. And religion is remarkably free of logic anyway.

[Eric Mc]

Most "people" are hypocrites - to some extent or other (I include myself in this sweeping generalisation).

[odyssey2200]

maybe they found Beagle?

[Caruso]

Simpo Two said:

But most Christians are hypocrites, therefore logic does not apply. And religion is remarkably free of logic anyway.

I would dispute that, religion is full of it's own self referential logic, albeit based often on a single unsound premise.

[mrmr96]

Caruso said:

Simpo Two said:

But most Christians are hypocrites, therefore logic does not apply. And religion is remarkably free of logic anyway.

I would dispute that, religion is full of it's own self referential logic, albeit based often on a single unsound premise.

Chaps, this isn't the thread for that. Cheers.

[Simpo Two]

Agreed. Much better to find stuff out by going to look for it.

[LandR]

Bedazzled said:

From the article... Grotzinger says they recently put a soil sample in SAM, and the analysis shows something earthshaking. "This data is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good," he says.

wow!

Bob Jacobs - NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Communication

twitter said:

There's out of control parroting regarding @MarsCuriosity. The "one for the history books" refers to the mission, not any one new discovery.

And

Mars Curiosity Twitter Account

twitter said:

What did I discover on Mars? That rumors spread fast online. My team considers this whole mission "one for the history books"

[FurtiveFreddy]

LandR said:

The sound of furious backpedaling...

[FunkyNige]

Cool little ditty about cool things to find on Mars...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIy6w_iubSs

Not sure how official it is, both the real and sarcastic rovers tweeted it!

[mrmr96]

Oakey said:

Apparently they've found something but aren't saying yet until the tests confirm whatever 'it' is.

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/20/165513016/big-news-f...

Any update on when they may release more? Any timescales being bandied about?