Martian Rocks Land In Morocco

Hugh Pickens writes "Scientists have confirmed chemically a recent and rare invasion from Mars with 15 pounds of fresh Martian rocks falling in Morocco last July. A special committee of meteorite experts, which includes some NASA scientists, confirmed the test results Tuesday certifying that the meteorites recently collected came from Mars. The biggest rock weighs more than 2 pounds. Astronomers think that millions of years ago something big smashed into Mars that sent fragments hurtling through the solar system. Occasionally, some fall on Earth."

Re:And people wonder...

[Microlith]

It takes a special kind of person to assume they're making blind judgements (like yourself) and not acting with evidence.

how the heck do they know these rocks came from Mars?

Who knows? We could find out, but you've already concluded that they're just making shit up so there's no point to investigating I suppose.

I mean the moon is full of craters, so I assume it's been hit once or twice. And I'm sure a good hit could have sent such debris into long orbits.

Lunar rocks have a very well known composition. I'm sure it's possible to discern between Lunar, Earth, Martian, and non-planetary rocks. But you've got no clue how nor have you looked up any possible means of identifying them so it's all just hokum, right?

This is like me finding a pair of old eye glasses and exclaiming they must have been Ben Franklins since he wore eye glasses.

Is it really? Do you suppose they would do something so stupid, when they could readily be countered?

My brain hurts now. Thanks.

Re:And people wonder...

[omganton]

"Scientists have confirmed chemically..." This seems to sum it up pretty well. The constituents of Mars differ from that of Earth, the Moon, or any other rocky entity that we scan, test or study. We know the Moon was once a part of Earth because it shares similar chemical makeup to that of Earth. That being said, the eons that have passed, and more precisely, the organic alterations that have taken place on Earth have modified the chemical makeup of Earth's crust enough to differentiate between a sample collected here or there. While it could be coincidence, you could equate this to finding a MacDonald's cup across the street from McDonald's. Could it have come from another McDonald's? Sure, but it probably came from the closest one, and it sure as hell didn't come from the Burger King down the street.

Re:And people wonder...

[PortHaven]

Okay, so let's see. Mars is a large rock. Big enough to have atmosphere. What is Mars' atmosphere made up of? Mars rock.

So let's say an asteroid that was formed in our solar system is of similar material to Mars. Oh, but Mars has activity, what's this mean. Melted rock? magma from it's core?

What similarities would exist in a rock that came from a collision of asteroids made up of similar material (which is probably fairly likely) as Mars?

Just saying...

Mind you, I'm not saying the rocks are not from Mars. But I really don't think we've got the data to make such conclusions. And I tend to chalk it up to "I want to get published Mommy".

It's the matter of "case closed" we're not open to alternatives or other thoughts. That's what I'm getting sick of. It's not the science I studied as a kid. Sure you could postulate an idea, test it, conclude that there was a potentiality. But in a game this big, such absolutes are in my book foolish.