"Mars Scientists: It Must Be Ice "
Space.com (June 20, 2008)
"Despite recent glitches with NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander on the arctic plains of the red planet, the mission became a resounding success when it found signs of water ice on Thursday.
"Four days ago Phoenix photographed dice-sized crumbs of bright material in a trench informally called "Dodo-Goldilocks." When the probe recently went back to look at the trench, they had vanished. The disappearing act convinced scientists the material was frozen water that vaporized after digging exposed it.
" 'It must be ice,' said Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona, Tucson. 'These little clumps completely disappearing over the course of a few days, that is perfect evidence that it's ice. There had been some question whether the bright material was salt. Salt can't do that.' "
It's likely he's right, but I'd be more comfortable with a chemical test, or an up-close look at the material's crystalline structures. Salt wouldn't evaporate, but some whitish substances might, under those conditions.
On the other hand, this is very exciting news. If that's ice, water ice, that means that Mars has plenty of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen: elements we'll need, if people start living on Mars. What's missing, so far, is nitrogen.
That, and technologies to put those elements together in an appropriate way. But people are working on that.
Wonderful times to be living in. Scary, here and there, but wonderful.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Unique, innovative candles
Visit us online: | |
Spiral Light Candle | • Find a Retailer • Spiral Light Candle online store |
Top 10 Most-Viewed Posts
-
(from INKCINCT Cartoons, used w/o permission) I very seldom copy an entire post in this blog, but trying to describe this cartoon would have...
-
" Coconut crab " AbsoluteAstronomy.com " The coconut crab, Birgus latro, is the largest land-living arthropod in the world an...
-
Ploak.com Article Directory " Your one-stop source for free articles. Do you need contents to add to your web site? Or articles for use...
-
" How to Think Like an Interior Designer " Jaime Derringer, via Shelpterpop (July 29, 2010) " It takes a unique mind to perfe...
-
Before anything else, repeating from an earlier post: Google has launched a 'people finder' for Japan, in Japanese, English, Korea...
-
Update (October 11, 2010) Another article about Reaction Engines Ltd.'s Skylon: " Airplanes in Space? " Irene Klotz, Space ...
-
" Stan Lee Unveils 3 New Superheroes at Comic-Con " Underwire, Wired (July 22, 2010) " A time traveler, an unwitting heir to ...
-
" Hellgrammite (Dobsonfly Larvae) (Corydalus cornutus) " Texas Parks and Wildlife " Other Names " Eastern Dobsonfly ...
-
" 'Lost City' of Tanis Found, but Often Forgotten " Brian Handwerk, Mysteries of the Ancient World, National Geographic (...
-
Whether you call it trafficking in persons, human trafficking, or slavery, buying and selling people isn't nice. And, in quite a few cou...
Today's News! Some of it, anyway
Actually, some of yesterday's news may be here. Or maybe last week's.
The software and science stuff might still be interesting, though. Or not.
The Lemming thinks it's interesting: Your experience may vary.
The software and science stuff might still be interesting, though. Or not.
The Lemming thinks it's interesting: Your experience may vary.
("Following" list moved here, after Blogger changed formats)
No comments:
Post a Comment