NASA To Announce Major Mars Discovery On Monday

[stromboli]

S'what I get for skimming it on my lunch break rather than reading it completely at my leisure; even so, the presence of water means that there has been a continuing opportunity for something to arise in the last few billion years.  The collapse of a warm, wet ecosystem there significantly reduces the chances, of course, but it doesn't obliterate them.

I still think when we get where the water is (the polar caps and/or the northern frozen ocean, if it's actually there), there's a good chance we'll find something eking out a bare living.  Nothing complicated... but it doesn't need to be.

I think what we are talking about is the window of opportunity. Given that earth is larger, able to retain an atmosphere, has the right gravity, abundant water and all the right chemicals, what is left is the span of time open for the right set of events to happen to create life. In the case of Mars, not able to retain an atmosphere, there was a much shorter window for that to occur. We obviously still don't know and it may well be that the needed window is much smaller than we thought. We might yet discover evidence that life did occur and then perish, or that life in some form still exists. Time will tell.

[trdsf]

I think what we are talking about is the window of opportunity. Given that earth is larger, able to retain an atmosphere, has the right gravity, abundant water and all the right chemicals, what is left is the span of time open for the right set of events to happen to create life. In the case of Mars, not able to retain an atmosphere, there was a much shorter window for that to occur. We obviously still don't know and it may well be that the needed window is much smaller than we thought. We might yet discover evidence that life did occur and then perish, or that life in some form still exists. Time will tell.

Yup.  If we get to the poles and the frozen ocean (if it's real), and don't find anything, I'll concede that Mars is currently lifeless.

Of course, that means we have to bloody well go.  (glares at NASA detractors in Congress who bitch about the stingy 1/2 of 1% they budget for all NASA operations, and then bitch that the five percent - more than is spent on actual welfare (medicaid doesn't count) - handed out in corporate 'welfare' programs isn't enough)

[stromboli]

Ladies and gentlemen, Rush Limbaugh!     :bravo_2:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/09/29/rush-limbaugh-nasa-mars-water-leftist-agenda_n_8217610.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

On Tuesday, Limbaugh’s paranoia went stellar when he argued (with a straight face) that NASA’s announcement of the discovery of water on the surface of Mars was part of a vast conspiracy by the Obama administration “to advance the leftist agenda.”

He admitted to not having the specifics of the conspiracy, but “would assume it would be something to do with global warming.” He then went on to suggest that NASA will “find a graveyard” from “an advanced civilization” that died out because of rising temperatures.

Oh boy! Tell it like it is, Rush!

[AllPurposeAtheist]

They found ....




They found ....



They found ....




Wait for it ...





It's coming ....




Here's what's going on .....




The GREAT SNATCH!

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Hey ..maybe they will find the skeltitized remains of GAWD and we'll learn he's been dead all along ..

Yeah ..I kinda doubt that one too ..