Comments on: Yes, there is water on Mars (Didn’t we know that?)

By: TD

TD — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:14:26 +0000

Pam, I absolutely agree with you. Astronomers have known about water ice at the Mars poles since at least the 1950′s, from spectroscopic measurements. If the Phoenix folks wanted to really find ice quickly, they could have landed right on top, at the Martian pole. The big question I hope they intend to answer is to find organic compounds (like the Sinton bands, also reported in the 1950′s.) Organic (carbon) compounds were not found by the Viking mass spectrometer, and this negative finding was the major reason the the other positive life detection readings of Viking were discounted as simple chemistry, not life. With all the mechanisms to move microbes thru space, it is almost inconceivable that Mars is sterile – Hopefully Phoenix will find evidence of life….. Frozen water – old news.

By: Umair Rahat

Umair Rahat — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:10:09 +0000

While we haven’t found life on Mars, the possibility of finding life is extremely high. Mars Science Laboratory might be the first scientific instrument (collectively) to confirm life on an other planet other than Earth.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:57:33 +0000

It would be really neat to find some kind of microorganism in the water but I guess all estimates are that it will be of extremely high salinity, so much as to not support any kind of life. Well at least not like life here on Earth ;>

By: Richard B. Drumm

Richard B. Drumm — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:51:39 +0000

When (last week I believe) they had trouble getting the soil sample to go through the screen into the ovens I said to myself “I bet it’s full of ice crystals and is cohesive. It’ll take a few days for the ice to sublimate, then the sample will fall through.” This appears to have subsequently happened. I won’t hold my breath that they’ll actually get ice into the ovens, though.
I hope I’m wrong, but… :sigh: I’ll bet I’m right. (I hate it when that happens and it’s something bad like getting no data.) Rats!
Rich