Phoenix Mars Lander Deploys Robotic Arm, Possibly Finds Ice 168
The Phoenix Mars Lander has successfully deployed its robotic arm and tested other instruments including a laser designed to detect dust, clouds, and fog. The arm will be used to dig up samples of the Martian surface, which will be analyzed as a possible habitat for life. A camera on the arm will allow pictures to be taken of the ground directly beneath the lander. The camera has already seen what may be ice, which was exposed when the soil was disturbed by the landing. The data collected by the arm will be compared to recent findings which suggest that water on Mars may have been too salty for most known forms of life.
I only hope... (Score:2, Interesting)
Black and White Ice (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:I only hope... (Score:5, Interesting)
So I'm not holding my breath.
Re:Extremophiles (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Could be, could not be... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:How is this news? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Extremophiles (Score:3, Interesting)
Disturbed by the landing? (Score:5, Interesting)
I have been wondering about this. I'm sure NASA would have taken into consideration that the retro rockets firing as it landed might melt ice and/or destroy signs of life. Right?
Re:Extremophiles (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Lets get our priorities straight! (Score:3, Interesting)
http://www.space.com/news/060613_ap_hawking_space.html [space.com]
Yes, the man that article references is truly only "pretending" to be intelligent.
Try again.
Re:Disturbed by the landing? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Extremophiles (Score:3, Interesting)
I think what they're looking for is the past presence of life. Hoping perhaps that mars got life fired up and then just about the time it started, there was too rapid of an environmental change which killed it before it got very evolved. Which is why they are looking for past evidence of liquid water. Water with its neutral ph makes probably the best place for life to initially develop. Maybe it's more correct they are searching for evidence of life on mars, not life itself.
Re:Extremophiles (Score:3, Interesting)
That is just one example. I'm not saying it is impossible, but there are reasons life is carbon based. It isn't arbitrary.
Re:OMFG OIL!!!!!11!! (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm not an expert on the area, but i think it is easy to say that the climate can and does change. Land that is perfect for farming now may not be in 50 years. Just look at the countries past - the great dust bowl? Sure some of that was caused by bad farming practices, but much of it was caused by drought.