Interesting news from Mars to be announced by NASA soon

It will be in the history books... and scientist says it could be organic material found on Mars.

The news will be officially announced on the 7th of December 2012:

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/20/165513016 ... um-for-now

I just heard about this an hour ago. It was on Yahoo news, here. Probably other sites as well. I hope they are able to give all the details. Apparently the probe found something and I understand they are not allowed to talk about it for 4 weeks. Not sure what that's all about but it's exciting.

Can't wait for this. it sounds like it could be the most important news for our species, ever.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronom ... ryone.html

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2012/11/21/mars_rover_curiosity_makes_earthshaking_find_no_one_is_talking_but_everyone.html

It's a bit annoying that NASA decided to announce a press conference - surely they knew how many people would react? It's science, not the latest Apple product!

The chances are that whatever it is is actually far more exciting than proof that there was once life on Mars. That's no big deal really. It's probably true, and if it's not, it doesn't really matter because there's clearly not significant life there any more anyway, and there's almost certainly life elsewhere in the universe. Proof would be nice, but it would just be confirmation of what scientists already strongly suspect.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2012/11/21/mars_rover_curiosity_makes_earthshaking_find_no_one_is_talking_but_everyone.html

It's a bit annoying that NASA decided to announce a press conference - surely they knew how many people would react? It's science, not the latest Apple product!

The chances are that whatever it is is actually far more exciting than proof that there was once life on Mars. That's no big deal really. It's probably true, and if it's not, it doesn't really matter because there's clearly not significant life there any more anyway, and there's almost certainly life elsewhere in the universe. Proof would be nice, but it would just be confirmation of what scientists already strongly suspect.

Yes, but if there is organic material on Mars, and they can prove that there has been life on Mars, it will be a sensation. As earthshaking as when people had to accept that the earth was not flat, 600 years ago.

Any evidence of any life anywhere other than earth will be earth-shattering, because at the moment, we don't know of any life anywhere else. It'll massively increase the chances that we're not alone in the universe and I ain't just talking about micro-bacterial lifeforms.

Any evidence of any life anywhere other than earth will be earth-shattering, because at the moment, we don't know of any life anywhere else. It'll massively increase the chances that we're not alone in the universe and I ain't just talking about micro-bacterial lifeforms.

The chances are already close to 1.

[WeeMann]

Any evidence of any life anywhere other than earth will be earth-shattering, because at the moment, we don't know of any life anywhere else. It'll massively increase the chances that we're not alone in the universe and I ain't just talking about micro-bacterial lifeforms.

The chances are already close to 1.

I find it hard to believe that there isn't life elsewhere in the universe. The only questions to me are whether there is intelligent life and, if so, whether we have ever been visited.

I think the general consensus amongst the relevant scientists is that there's almost certainly life elsewhere, probably intelligent life, and it is probably not within travelling distance of us.

[WeeMann]

I think the general consensus amongst the relevant scientists is that there's almost certainly life elsewhere, probably intelligent life, and it is probably not within travelling distance of us.

That's where I start to take issue.

It's not within travelling distance using technology that we have or can understand at the moment - who's to say we know enough to count out more advanced technologies?

It's not so many years ago that the greatest minds wouldn't have conceived of us reaching the moon, yet now we're exploring Mars.

I think the general consensus amongst the relevant scientists is that there's almost certainly life elsewhere, probably intelligent life, and it is probably not within travelling distance of us.

That's where I start to take issue.

It's not within travelling distance using technology that we have or can understand at the moment - who's to say we know enough to count out more advanced technologies?

It's not so many years ago that the greatest minds wouldn't have conceived of us reaching the moon, yet now we're exploring Mars.

I mean within our travelling distance. The number of planets we could feasibly visit is tiny. If life is a 1-in-a-million thing (for example), there's almost no chance of life within our travel range. However there are billions of planets, so probably thousands with life.

[WeeMann]

Ah, misunderstanding. I'm talking about other civilisations travelling to us. Yeah, we'd struggle to get far enough with our technology as it stands.

[JLP]

Maybe they have found the fabled Queen Anthology set.

[JLP]

Seriously this is exciting news. I cannot wait.