MARS

[A rope leash]

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ ... 0104a.html

Well, we landed on Mars again..and guess what! It's a big, red, dusty, rock-strewn planet, just like it was back in the '70s!

Even if we do find evidence of life, big whup.

[laughingcrow]

The understanding of chemistry, and hopefully biology, that we might gain from space exploration has great potential for future science indirectly.
It's the same reason we conserve the species on the planet, partly for aesthetics and 'Gaia spirit' reasons, but partly because we stand to benefit.

Plus think of the bombs we can make with the martian's technology.

[selfmademug]

Amen to that, Crow. 'Cept for the bombs part, of course. I think we will be a little more dead as a species the minute we stop doing this sort of exploration. Which isn't to say there aren't other things we're doiing and not doing that make us a bit more dead each day...

Anyway I am geared up to watch (and tape) the NOVA special tonight, with my son, who's incredibly excited about it all, and then follow the progress/discoveries that come out of the mission.

Check:
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/index.html

And also:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/highlights/index.html
Then find DESTINATION MARS under "interactive features.

And one more-- this is a good one:
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/m2k4/frameset.html

[bobster]

Thanks for reminding me about that NOVA special, Selfmade (and son!) -- I was going to watch some of the usual Simpsons or whatever, but every now and then it's good to sort of force myself to learn something and regain that old "sense of wonder" that Science Fiction and actual science fans are always talking about.

Still, I'm always dissapointed the Robert Heinlein's Michael Valentine Smith or H.G. Well's spider creatures don't turn up....

[Gillibeanz]

yup, all very interesting - and hideously expensive. I think we should spend the money on this planet sorting its problems and suffering out before we go looking for other planets to mess up.

And so we may find alien life form - then what? Start a war with it no doubt!

[A rope leash]

They're little green men living below the Martian surface. In fact, there's an entire ecosystem under there.

I don't know why they had to send a spaceship. They could have just asked me!

[selfmademug]

Just because the military and big business are fucking the world and its population over big-time, doesn't mean that halting scientific inquiry will help. Without question, there are para-military aspects of the space program and much of modern science, but those are the bennies of that spending. Cut that out and you're really getting screwed.

Is what I think.

[laughingcrow]

Im still gutted the Beagle mission screwed up on christmas day.... , but it was an achievement to get most of the mission completed with the tiny little euro space budget!

Im looking forward to the next NASA mission to collect the dust from a comet's tail........now that's interesting stuff!

What do you guys make of the asteroid threat? I've been seeing loads of stuff lately about the chances of a strike within the next 100yrs, and it's pretty scary stuff...if something like Tunguska happened today in a built-up area...it doesn't bare thinking about really.
I wonder whether they have got any bunkers for that kind of situation, like the ones for the nukes over in SAC Nebraska...have you seen that dodgy film, Deep Impact?

[LessThanZero]

LC, don't worry about those space rocks. The United States will save the whole world!!

[laughingcrow]

These words all make perfect sense now....eery!

It's on Americas tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again....

[SoLikeCandy]

David Bowie is a regular Nostradamus, he is...

[LessThanZero]

"We'll only stay on Mars a couple of months until they are capable of self rule."

--Letterman

[Misha]

We're not really there....just ask the conspiracy theorists....who should be around any day now saying this is all crap.

Have a friend that works at JPL, walking around like a proud peacock right now.....

[laughingcrow]

What's JPL?

We will get a man (or woman) on Mars, but it'll be within the thick end of 50yrs I'd estimate....

has anyone seen Total Recall? I wonder if it'll be like that!


KUWATO LIVES!