Mars Rover Sniffs First Hint of Water? 479
mhw25 writes "It is reported that the Mars rover Spirit is already well into its scientific mission, and may be detecting hints of water. The mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer has returned its first image, with probable evidence of carbonates and hydrated minerals. We may know more after the rover rolls off its landing base, after making a 120 degree turn to avoid the airbag blocking its front ramp, to start analyses on soil from Thursday or Friday. An ongoing intrigue is already developing - a scientist reckoned that some of the soil around the airbag 'looks like mud, but it can't be mud'."
Comment removed (Score:-1, Funny)
Culture (Score:5, Funny)
Where there is water, there may also be a brewery. These Martians may be eons ahead of us..
This Just In (Score:5, Funny)
More breaking news as it becomes available. Thank you.
Can This Thing Drill Through the Crust? (Score:3, Funny)
So let me get this right... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:1, Funny)
Gotta remember (Score:5, Funny)
Well, that and a 1x4x9 ebon slab.
breaking news (Score:5, Funny)
Good news, bad news (Score:5, Funny)
Tidying (Score:5, Funny)
Looks like our previous visits have made them clean up for company.
Re:This Just In (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:5, Funny)
Wake me when it finds beer (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:5, Funny)
You might think there is water... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:1, Funny)
Black Gold, Texas Tea (Score:2, Funny)
Please, please, please... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Don't jump (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:3, Funny)
Re:intrigue (Score:2, Funny)
Mud on Mars? (Score:5, Funny)
Looks like mud, but can't be mud! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:1, Funny)
Blame the beagle (Score:2, Funny)
And I thought my dog could wizz for a long time...
Re:This Just In (Score:2, Funny)
Ah, the old jokes are still sometimes the best...
Ugly bags of mostly water? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Culture (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Water (Score:2, Funny)
Re:This Just In (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Don't jump (Score:5, Funny)
That doesn't make any sense, because if there's no water, then what are the Martian rats drinking in the first place? See, it's gotta be something else.
Stick in the mud... (Score:4, Funny)
I'm guessing that it may be possible that there is thermal activity just under the surface of the landing site which is keeping the surface warm enough to have "mud" and possibly some sort of underground water deposit that is seeping through the ground in this area...
But I guess the NASA scientists are better at this than my arm-chair quarterback approach...
Then again, I can just see the press conference..."We found water on Mars"..."The rover got stuck in the mud"...
Re:intrigue (Score:5, Funny)
0 F is the stabilized temperature when equal amounts of ice, water, and salt are mixed and 96 F is the temperature "when the thermometer is held in the mouth or under the armpit of a living man in good health."
As a Minnesota native . . . (Score:5, Funny)
My real question, as someone who has camped outdoors in very cold temperatures, is this: could the combination of a shallow (half-meter) trench, a heavy-duty lean-to, and a heavy-duty sealed winter sleeping back (along with oxygen, of course) get one through the night?
Also, as Minnesotans are well-known for their masochistic, 'can-do' approach to weathering winter weather, are there any Minnesotans planned for the manned Mars mission?
Re:intrigue (Score:2, Funny)
Final transmission from Spirit (Score:2, Funny)
Re:intrigue (Score:1, Funny)