Nasa unveils Mars Curiousity findings today at 12pm EST (watch live)

CheMin's examination of Rocknest samples found the composition is about half common volcanic minerals and half non-crystalline materials such as glass. SAM added information about ingredients present in much lower concentrations and about ratios of isotopes. Isotopes are different forms of the same element and can provide clues about environmental changes. The water seen by SAM does not mean the drift was wet. Water molecules bound to grains of sand or dust are not unusual, but the quantity seen was higher than anticipated.

SAM tentatively identified the oxygen and chlorine compound perchlorate. This is a reactive chemical previously found in arctic Martian soil by NASA's Phoenix Lander. Reactions with other chemicals heated in SAM formed chlorinated methane compounds -- one-carbon organics that were detected by the instrument. The chlorine is of Martian origin, but it is possible the carbon may be of Earth origin, carried by Curiosity and detected by SAM's high sensitivity design.

To paraphrase- yes they have found the organic componentents that could sustain life on mars. Again could does nit mean does but the possibility is ever so likely . In other words mats proves a viable out Post for mining and colonization.
Manned crafts to be sent in
near future.

CheMin's examination of Rocknest samples found the composition is about half common volcanic minerals and half non-crystalline materials such as glass. SAM added information about ingredients present in much lower concentrations and about ratios of isotopes. Isotopes are different forms of the same element and can provide clues about environmental changes. The water seen by SAM does not mean the drift was wet. Water molecules bound to grains of sand or dust are not unusual, but the quantity seen was higher than anticipated.

SAM tentatively identified the oxygen and chlorine compound perchlorate. This is a reactive chemical previously found in arctic Martian soil by NASA's Phoenix Lander. Reactions with other chemicals heated in SAM formed chlorinated methane compounds -- one-carbon organics that were detected by the instrument. The chlorine is of Martian origin, but it is possible the carbon may be of Earth origin, carried by Curiosity and detected by SAM's high sensitivity design.

To paraphrase- yes they have found the organic componentents that could sustain life on mars. Again could does nit mean does but the possibility is ever so likely . In other words mats proves a viable out Post for mining and colonization.
Manned crafts to be sent in
near future.

Ho Hum.

Without even getting there, methane has already been hinted by an Italian Astronomer a few years ago.

So, keep waiting for nothing...

71491977N 29323006W Go to google mars go to that location and zoom in to about 10,000 feet and you will see our base so much for the rover

Now that was funny! You got me to LOL on this one.

that's true, but IMO, I guess it all depends on how much oxygen was found. If the soil was less than like .50 - 5% oxygen then yeah we can call that natural oxygen.

But if the Mars soil is 20%+ oxygen then that's proof of life

fail

This was one for the History books, I am currently rewriting mine as we speak


Thank god for NASA

Never A Straight Answer

With all the bright minds at NASA, it seems like they could dream up some slightly more entertaining fictions in return for all the taxpayer dollars that are supporting them.

What a waste of money!

yeah and they havnt grasped what " one day equals a thousands yrs thing to god...YET

How disappointing. Was hoping to see fossilized

non-event

the main news, which should enter into the textbooks as previously reported by NASA - it's not news about organics, but the news that The colonization of Mars is not possible: water on Mars contains much more deuterium- more: [link to hainanwel.com]

The more I learn about science the more I believe in God. Most Christains DO NOT believe in the exact wording of the Bible, only the loudest ones.

But in the 90's wasn't there proof of microscopic life on Mars? If so, then there had to be oxygen etc. present for this life to exist. I don't get the big reveal here.

OMG you have the BEST humor, I swear!! ;)

Mars Curiousity a la Planet 51 style

Curiousity: Picks up dead rat, moves it out of the way, drops back to the ground.

Curiousity: Sees the rock it wanted to get that dead rat was on top of. Picks up rock and anaylizes. Detects organic compounds as well, (rat doo).

I do not know about you guys, BUT WE SHOULD BE MORE concern with what is happening here on earth, right now, thna what happended in MARS!!!!...

BS BS BS

Nope, but there is one that describes what god "did" create, and, for what purpose, and there ain't fuck all in there about any life anywhere else.

So can someone summarize WTF the big announcement was?

Nope. It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma.

Ok, so it actually goes along the lines of, our instruments are working great, we found water, sulfur, and perchlorate salts, and when they heated the sample, the chlorine reacted to form chlorinated methane, but they don't know if the methane came from Mars or if it was just a byproduct of a reaction between the chlorine from the perchlorate and carbon dioxide gas or any possible trace of carbon contamination that flew with the rover.

Last Edited by Astromut on 12/03/2012 04:58 PM

I have more education than you could ever hope to achieve. I am also a deeply religious believer in Jesus Christ. I have read the Bible.

There are, of course, other worlds with other life.

Jesus Christ is Lord of all of them.

Now, please, take your ethnocentric-isms and shove them.

Thanks.

perchlorate salts

Isn't perchlorate salts a type of rocket fuel oxidant?

[link to www.organicconsumers.org]

Reminds me of the Russian vehicle with the soil sampling device on one of its legs...that landed on the camera lens cap that had been blown of the vessel as it landed on the Martian surface - LOL!

[link to en.wikipedia.org]

yous the edumacated one...you tell us's?

Ammonium perchlorate is a common solid propellant oxidizer. It would take a fair bit of infrastructure to manufacture and prepare solid propellant for use on a return leg.

Great.

So the "this will be one for the history books" announcement basically boils down to "Well, remember those inconclusive Viking results? We have more of those".



This was the last straw.
Defund NASA.

NASA has become such bullshit.....why did they have to have this big buildup........just release the data...........we paid for it........