totse.com | Water on Mars

hazode · #1 2008-07-31, 19:04

NASA has discovered that Mars, does in fact have water on its planet, could this mean that life could have lived on he desolate planet? Thoughts, opinions?

XtomJames · #2 2008-07-31, 21:55

Hate to say this but, NO DUH. We've known that there is water on Mars for nearly 8 years now. We also know life at one time did live on Mars, though it was a bacterium that was discovered.

This is old news.

hazode · #3 2008-07-31, 23:20

We haven't KNOWN this for 8 years at all, we have suspected, and we've found ice. Now we have actually FOUND liquid water. Which could mean bacteria.

Rocko · #4 2008-08-01, 00:40

I saw this on the news today and was thrilled. We now have positive confirmation of Earth-like water on Mars. This means all we need to set up a permanent and self-sufficient colony on Mars is a way to get there. With water we can support human and plant life. Plants = oxygen and food, and wind/solar can easily provide power for a small colony. I fucking hope I get to see humans on Mars in my lifetime.

XtomJames · #5 2008-08-01, 01:09

Ok, uh, ice means water, which means we've known water is on Mars. We have found Fossilized bacteria on Mars. Thus we have known this for 8 years. Where there is ice there is also liquid water. Just because some remote robot finally has found said liquid water doesn't mean we didn't know it existed before hand.

enkrypt0r · #6 2008-08-01, 04:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtomJames View Post

Ok, uh, ice means water, which means we've known water is on Mars. We have found Fossilized bacteria on Mars. Thus we have known this for 8 years. Where there is ice there is also liquid water. Just because some remote robot finally has found said liquid water doesn't mean we didn't know it existed before hand.

As I recall, we have rocks from Mars, and meteorites that could be from Mars, that look like they might be fossilized bacteria, but the scientific community isn't 100% on the issue.

XtomJames · #7 2008-08-01, 05:45

As I recall the bacteria fossilites were finally confirmed as of 2000.

You're refering to this http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/..._bacteria.html

meterorite ALH84001. The bacteria fossilite on it was confirmed to be bacteria. In 2000 when the first mars lander came into contact the material on Mars and the Meterorite were confirmed as identical in their radiometric composition.

enkrypt0r · #8 2008-08-01, 06:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtomJames View Post

As I recall the bacteria fossilites were finally confirmed as of 2000.

You're refering to this http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/..._bacteria.html

meterorite ALH84001. The bacteria fossilite on it was confirmed to be bacteria. In 2000 when the first mars lander came into contact the material on Mars and the Meterorite were confirmed as identical in their radiometric composition.

Interesting... Do you have a link where it discusses the proof of Martian origin by the radiometric composition? I'm Googling, but I can't seem to find it.

XtomJames · #9 2008-08-01, 06:49

I don't think you'll find it, its an old article. It was posted in one of two Nasa news magazines, though I don't remember which one. (Sorry its 2 am and I'm tired.)

enkrypt0r · #10 2008-08-01, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtomJames View Post

I don't think you'll find it, its an old article. It was posted in one of two Nasa news magazines, though I don't remember which one. (Sorry its 2 am and I'm tired.)

You'd think that it would still be online somewhere... I was looking through old NASA articles from as early at 1995 on their site, so if it exists, it's bound to be somewhere.