NASA about to announce flowing water on Mars?

NASA about to announce flowing water on Mars?

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Discussion

Blackpuddin

Original Poster:

16,409 posts

204 months

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
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Interesting - although findings over the last few years from both orbiters and landers have already indicated that there are strong signs that liquid water can flow on Mars today - given certain atmopsheric conditions and thehigh salt content in the water.

Blackpuddin

Original Poster:

16,409 posts

204 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
quotequote all
Given the amount of money that has been spent and continues to be spent on Mars it seems nigh-on inconceivable that the conditions for colonisation haven't already been established. Releasing the knowledge bit by bit presumably keeps the funding taps open.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
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You are WAY too cynical. Science is cautious by nature. Making grand and important announcements before decent data is in can backfire dramatically - and can cause a massive amount of damage. NASA learned a big lesson when they announced the findings of what could have been Martian fossils back in 1993. They have to progress slowly in these areas slowly.

And, as yet, no one has imaged actual flowing water on Mars. What HAS been imaged are traces of what might have been the result of recent water flows. They also caught images of globules of liquid water collecting on part of the structure of the Mars Phoenix lander.

dudleybloke

19,717 posts

185 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
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All we need is a couple of nukes at the Martian poles and we can start terraforming.


Allegedly.

MartG

20,621 posts

203 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
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Confirmation that there is no intelligent life in Congress ?

0000

13,812 posts

190 months

MartG

20,621 posts

203 months

Sunday 27th September 2015
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dudleybloke said:
All we need is a couple of nukes at the Martian poles and we can start terraforming.


Allegedly.
Wouldn't impacting a couple of icy comets onto Mars give the same effect, with the added benefits of adding water and no nuclear involvement ?

Derek Smith

45,512 posts

247 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been more comment here on the revelation of evidence of flowing water, all be it a bit salty, on Mars. Isn't everyone excited by the increased evidence of the possibility of life on the planet?

Silver993tt

9,064 posts

238 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Derek Smith said:
I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been more comment here on the revelation of evidence of flowing water, all be it a bit salty, on Mars. Isn't everyone excited by the increased evidence of the possibility of life on the planet?
most certainly. However, for me the most interesting thing is that billions of years ago it looked like Mars has plenty of water, seas, lakes and a warmer climate. Sure this disappeared but if it existed for a few hundred million year that would have given plenty of time for life to form and maybe even quite advanced from mere bacteria etc. After all, life on earth evolved in that time. Having largely lost it's atmosphere more than a billion years ago, any trace of any life no mater how advanced would have been totally erased from the surface due to weathering during that period. In fact just a few hundred thousands of years would have done this. I believe there are some truly amazing things to be discovered there.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Agreed. I am pretty sure that a lot of this water is still on Mars - in the form of sub surface ice and now, perhaps, in giant under surface aquafers. It's all very intriguing.

0000

13,812 posts

190 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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We've known for such a long time that this was a possibility I think the excitement's faded like a film with too much publicity.

At least it hints there may be more to come, if we can address the current agreement not to explore areas that might have water.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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The important point about yesterday's formal announcement is that it is no longer just a "possibility" - it is now pretty much a certainty - which is a VERY big deal.

MartG

20,621 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Another aspect - if water is definitely there, then it simplifies a manned mission. They can electrolyse the water to make fuel for the return trip smile

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Yes - they have detected salt and other minerals indicative of recent water flows.

Another reason they are sure these markings are recent is because the markings come and go and change over relatively short periods of time i.e,. months and years - not millenia.
We now have a small fleet of orbiters monitoring surface changes on the planet and the same areas have been photographed many times. This allows us to see changes that have occurred since the last pass.

It is now pretty clear that Mars is still an active planet with ongoing geological processes still operating.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Eric Mc said:
Yes - they have detected salt and other minerals indicative of recent water flows.

Another reason they are sure these markings are recent is because the markings come and go and change over relatively short periods of time i.e,. months and years - not millenia.
We now have a small fleet of orbiters monitoring surface changes on the planet and the same areas have been photographed many times. This allows us to see changes that have occurred since the last pass.

It is now pretty clear that Mars is still an active planet with ongoing geological processes still operating.

Its all incredibly exciting. Cant wait to see what the next 10+ years brings.

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Boots on the ground needed before too long.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Not just this announcement though. There is plenty of tantalising evidence. Gypsum discovered a few years ago for a start.

And look at this site
https://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu

Have to delve in a bit but there ain't half some stunning images and many with what you would expect with a fluid flow, water......?

MartG

20,621 posts

203 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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Eric Mc said:
Boots on the ground needed before too long.
Definitely

The rovers are good, but one geologist ( areologist ? ) on the ground could have covered the same amount of ground and done the same amount of work in a couple of days instead of several years

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
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A good Gif showing time lapse photos of the flows;