What will a country gain for itself when(if) water is discovered on Mars? NASA says it is a huge discovery because that could mean life might be present or have existed in the past. But what importance is that to us if single-celled organisms are roaming Mars? Is it worth the substantial amount of money they spent on these missions even if they do find water? And if they are having this much trouble finding only a slight amount of water, does that not mean there is very very little on Mars- what good will that do for us if miniscule amounts are there?
Im not for or against missions to Mars because I dont quite have enough knowledge on the subject to make a judgment call.
But what importance is that to us if single-celled organisms are roaming Mars? Is it worth the substantial amount of money they spent on these missions even if they do find water?
It is quite significant to me if there are single-celled organisms roaming Mars. Assuming that it’s unimportant to you, then between the two of us that averages out to simply “important”. Since you’re obviously not asking whether taxation is moral, I’ll leave that issue to the side. I might consider making a $100 donation to fund such an scientific exploration. However, I’d also want to get all of the requests for donations from other worthy projects. It might end up that something else would bump that project from my list, for example cloning, fusion or teleportation.
If there were some really valuable thing on Mars that could be commercially exploited, maybe the research could be tacked on to a commercial venture, for relatively little money.
If our money has to be forcibly confiscated, I’d rather it go towards cool things like the space program than to welfare or universal health care. Let them eat cake. I’d rather have an American flag on the surface of Mars.
I understand that while Mars is probably lifeless, there is some earth bacteria capable of surviving under Martian conditions. Perhaps with some genetic engineering, we can get more complex lifeforms to survive there. That way, if we manage to exterminate life on earth, at least we’ll have spread it elsewhere.
I for one, welcome our single-celled Martian overlords.
Because of my general interest in understanding reality. Things such as “What makes life possible”.
Is that the main question that they want to answer with these missions, or are there other questions suspected to be answered with the finding of water on Mars? And why would this type of find give a good lead as to answering the “what makes life possible” question? -is it to be a comparison tool with Earth, finding similarities with each other?
What will a country gain for itself when(if) water is discovered on Mars?
They will be able to bottle the stuff in trendy looking containers and sell it as something “natural” to a bunch of back-to-nature wannabes in places where lots of lefties congregate such as Whole Foods Market, Ben & Jerry’s and Starbucks
Is that the main question that they want to answer with these missions, or are there other questions suspected to be answered with the finding of water on Mars? And why would this type of find give a good lead as to answering the “what makes life possible” question? -is it to be a comparison tool with Earth, finding similarities with each other?
Woah woah woah…there’s a Whole Foods in Texas? I thought there was only one and it was just in Baltimore. Is it a chain? That would be hilarious.
Not only are there Whole Food Markets in Texas, the chain actually got its start in Austin, Texas. In fact, last year they built a brand new headquarters and flagship store in Austin. See: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/pr_02-22-05.html I have been in it - it is pretty nice. However, I much prefer another Texas chain called Central Market which overlaps slightly with Whole Foods except that Central Market focuses more on gourmet and specialty foods wheras Whole Foods focuses on “natural” foods and goes after the hippie market more. Central Market also started out in Austin but now has locations in the other major Texas metro areas. Their stores are actually tourist attractions with their Austin stores being the city’s number 2 tourist draw after the state capital.
If I may beg to differ with the opinions/perspectives forwarded here so far in order to clarify a few misconceptions/understandings/deliberate media misdirection, of the factual content of the information found to date about “Mars” &/or “life” thereon.
As I understand it, while it’s been determined that there is evidence on the surface of the planet that there may once have been liquid/“water” there, I also understand that it’s pretty much common knowledge that Mars’ atmosphere is made solely up of “CO2”/H2CO3, a carbonic chemical more so commonly known as “carbon monoxide”, a gas which can be reduced to either solid, or liquid form, i.e., “water”, by the application of “intense presure”. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/07aug_southpole.htm
Also, what “life” that there has been determined to be on/from Mars has actually been “microbial” in nature, as was discovered in a meteorite recovered from Antarctica in 1984 (1 of some 12 found here) believed to have originated on Mars, and all of the indications for the potential of “life” could just as well be nothing more than perhaps some slightly modified (given the intense pressure and chemical composition of the Mars’ atmosphere) “dust grains” that just so happen to be typical to all meteorites discovered so far. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/marslife.html
But it is both nice and beneficial to dream and imagine the unknown.
p.s. If the second link I’ve given you directs you to a multi-selection page, you’ll want the first listed link there that’ll exactly match the address as posted.
as was discovered in a meteorite recovered from Antarctica in 1984 (1 of some 12 found here) believed to have originated on Mars,
Here is what I have always been curious about when I have heard of such meteorites:
1 - On what basis do they have to believe such a meteorite came from Mars specifically as opposed to anyplace else?
Assuming it did, in fact come from Mars, how on Earth… errrrr…I mean how on Mars…did it get away from Mars. Presumably escaping the gravitational field of a planet is a pretty difficult task. Do other planets end up getting meteorites from Earth - actual natural chunks of Earth as opposed to our assortment of man-made space debris some of which might perhaps eventually find its way to other planets? I can’t imagine a volcanic eruption being powerful enough to toss large chunks so high that they end up going into outer space.
I’m curious “why” you use scare quotes the way “you” do. Do you know “what” their function in writing “is”?
I had a friend from Turkey who insisted that using quotes conveyed emphasis. I warned him to stop doing this so liberally on his application essays, as it made him look really foolish. Unfortunately for him, he remained intransigent on this matter.
Im not for or against missions to Mars because I dont quite have enough knowledge on the subject to make a judgment call.
Hey Konerko,
If you are interested in pursuing this topic more, I recommend reading The Case for Mars by Dr. Robert Zubrin. He is also an outspoken advocate for the privatization of space exploration so this makes especially interesting reading.
I’m curious “why” you use scare quotes the way “you” do. Do you know “what” their function in writing “is”?
“Scare quotes” ??
If you’re referring to my use of quotation marks to encase certain words or sentences, I do so as I’m actually quoting the words or sentences from the links I’ve posted, in a sense providing the viewer with excerpts of what they are to expect to find when they click on the links, a preview of things to come if you will, in a sense, pre-validating whatever assertions/claims/perspectives that I may be forwarding here on the cover page.
In otherwords, I make use of quotation marks as “quotation marks”, what I believe their “function in writing is.” Please though, do correct me if I am wrong.
1 - On what basis do they have to believe such a meteorite came from Mars specifically as opposed to anyplace else?
Presumably by its composition.
Assuming it did, in fact come from Mars, how on Earth… errrrr…I mean how on Mars…did it get away from Mars. Presumably escaping the gravitational field of a planet is a pretty difficult task.
Most likely, as as result of a large meteor strike on Mars. Such impacts pack a lot of kinetic energy, which would eject small chunks of rock off the planet and into interplanetary space. Eventually a few of these would reach Earth. Take a look at Mars and remind yourself those are meteoric craters on its surface.
Do other planets end up getting meteorites from Earth - actual natural chunks of Earth as opposed to our assortment of man-made space debris some of which might perhaps eventually find its way to other planets?
It’s very likely. of course, Mars has a thinner atmosphere, which creates less air resistance, and a lower gravity, which allows escape at lower speeds. Earth’s thicker atmosphere also slows down meteors. So Earth meteorite would be less common than Martian ones.
Here is what I have always been curious about when I have heard of such meteorites:
1 - On what basis do they have to believe such a meteorite came from Mars specifically as opposed to anyplace else?
Assuming it did, in fact come from Mars, how on Earth… errrrr…I mean how on Mars…did it get away from Mars. Presumably escaping the gravitational field of a planet is a pretty difficult task. Do other planets end up getting meteorites from Earth - actual natural chunks of Earth as opposed to our assortment of man-made space debris some of which might perhaps eventually find its way to other planets? I can’t imagine a volcanic eruption being powerful enough to toss large chunks so high that they end up going into outer space.
The second link that I’ve provided in my initial post goes into some detail as to the commonly accepted perception of just how Mars’ fragments may have not only formed, but also found their way to Earth/answers all of your questions…, please click and read.