Ice on Mars: If True, it's a Jackpot

"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.