Ice on Mars

Cypress said:
Well, this isn't Star Trek. Spacecraft can't really operate "life detectors".

As the article states, at best they have instruments to measure possible organic compounds. And I'm not a biologist, but unless I'm mistaken, the optical and electrical techniques we have to measure microbial life in soils are too delicate to be flown on a spacecraft.
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There are things that we look for that indicate life, such as movement, organic compounds, heat, and some other things that I am sure I don't know.

But all of that leaves out the possibility of life that is so unlike what we have seen that it would not show on our indicators. Such as a silicon based lifeform.
 
what if the ice/water has some dormant supervirus that will kill us all when introduced to our ecosystem? O_O
 
"It's life Captain, but not as we know it"

"It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim!"

"I can't change the laws of physics!"

Anyone remember that song "Star Trekkin' across the universe?" Great novelty tune.

Anyhoo, I sometimes wonder about the whole "must have water for life" thing. We're biased because of how life evolved here on earth, which is everything we know; who knows what else is out there....
 
Cypress said:
Well, this isn't Star Trek. Spacecraft can't really operate "life detectors".

As the article states, at best they have instruments to measure possible organic compounds. And I'm not a biologist, but unless I'm mistaken, the optical and electrical techniques we have to measure microbial life in soils are too delicate to be flown on a spacecraft.
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Don't be an ass.

The article has only this to say on the detection of life:

The samples are being examined for traces of organic molecules, among other substances, but the lander does not have instruments that could directly detect life.
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The article doesn't state that they are unable to include instruments that could directly detect life, you are just pulling crap out of the blue.

We certainly could include instruments that could detect water, instead of extrapolating from sublimation that it "must be ice" is a bit weak.
 
Damocles said:
Don't be an ass.

The article has only this to say on the detection of life:



The article doesn't state that they are unable to include instruments that could directly detect life, you are just pulling crap out of the blue.

We certainly could include instruments that could detect water, instead of extrapolating from sublimation that it "must be ice" is a bit weak.
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Calm down Francis. Why are you so angry lately?
 
Cypress said:
Calm down Francis. Why are you so angry lately?
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Call the waaaahmbulance... :rolleyes:

Adding Star Trek sarcasm in an attempt to make "I don't know what I'm talking about, but I'll just guess a whole bunch about it." look better made you appear ass-ish. Crying over it doesn't make you appear much better.
 
Damocles said:
Don't be an ass.

The article has only this to say on the detection of life:



The article doesn't state that they are unable to include instruments that could directly detect life, you are just pulling crap out of the blue.

We certainly could include instruments that could detect water, instead of extrapolating from sublimation that it "must be ice" is a bit weak.
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Now I read what he said, and though it could be INTERPRETED as Cy being an ass, I don't get that. I think he was making a comment that we are not yet at the stage in our off planet exploration that we can send that sort of equipment. I really don't FEEL just from a read of this that he was being ass-ish.
 
Socrtease said:
Now I read what he said, and though it could be INTERPRETED as Cy being an ass, I don't get that. I think he was making a comment that we are not yet at the stage in our off planet exploration that we can send that sort of equipment. I really don't FEEL just from a read of this that he was being ass-ish.
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I should have said, "Geek". Excuse me.

Star Trek sarcasm just appears ass-ish to me. Very geeky indeed.
 
Damocles said:
I should have said, "Geek". Excuse me.

Star Trek sarcasm just appears ass-ish to me. Very geeky indeed.
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(puts hands up palms out and backs away slowly) Ok ok. Just pointing out that it might not be the first time in the last couple of days that you have misinterpreted what some one was saying. Or how they were saying it.
 
Socrtease said:
(puts hands up palms out and backs away slowly) Ok ok. Just pointing out that it might not be the first time in the last couple of days that you have misinterpreted what some one was saying. Or how they were saying it.
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*sigh*

I wasn't "angry". And this is becoming pitiful.
 
Onceler said:
"It's life Captain, but not as we know it"

"It's worse than that, he's dead, Jim!"

"I can't change the laws of physics!"

Anyone remember that song "Star Trekkin' across the universe?" Great novelty tune.

Anyhoo, I sometimes wonder about the whole "must have water for life" thing. We're biased because of how life evolved here on earth, which is everything we know; who knows what else is out there....
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Star trekkin across the universe...on the starship enterprise under captain kirk!!!

There's clingons on the starboard bow scottie beam me up!!!! :beam:

aw hell now i will be singing it all day.
 
blackascoal said:
Religion will find a way to claim it .. and science, fact, truth, evidence, knowledge, wisdom, history, DNA, or common sense have never been an impediment to believers.
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scince is just as susceptible to many of the fulats that religion is.
 
bob said:
scince is just as susceptible to many of the fulats that religion is.
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Only to the totally ignorant.

Tell you what .. when one of these ignorant people suffers a life-threatening illness .. see if they want to be rushed to church instead of to the hospital and science.
 
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blackascoal said:
Only to the totally ignorant.

Tell you what .. when one of these ignorant people suffers a life-threatening illness .. see if they want to be rushed to church instead of to the hospital and science.
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Didn't falwell just say in the church and not go to the hospital before he died ?
 
Socrtease said:
Now I read what he said, and though it could be INTERPRETED as Cy being an ass, I don't get that. I think he was making a comment that we are not yet at the stage in our off planet exploration that we can send that sort of equipment. I really don't FEEL just from a read of this that he was being ass-ish.
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Correct you are. Damo seems to be PMSing lately.

As for the insults Damo hurled at me, saying I just pulled it out of my ass that "life detection" equipment hasn't yet been developed that can withstand a trip on a spacecraft, I guess NASA agrees with me. I thought I read something about this from somewhere.


NASA Website:

Sensor Being Developed to Check for Life on Mars
03.02.07

NASA-funded researchers are refining a tool that could not only check for the faintest traces of life's molecular building blocks on Mars, but could also determine whether they have been produced by anything alive.

The instrument, called Urey: Mars Organic and Oxidant Detector, has already shown its capabilities in one of the most barren climes on Earth, the Atacama Desert in Chile. The European Space Agency has chosen this tool from the United States as part of the science payload for the ExoMars rover planned for launch in 2013. Last month, NASA selected Urey for an instrument-development investment of $750,000.


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/research/2007/mars_sensor.html
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Naturally, I don't expect any apologies, or admissions that he was wrong, from Damo. :rolleyes:
 
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