Mars

[Jim E]

Good job, NASA.

[Janke]

Indeed.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

[Jim E]

To think; not too long ago, the idea of sending probes to the planets was sheer, unadulterated science-fiction of the most outlandish kind.

And yet today, at this minute, there's an American car parked on Mars.

[Janke]

And yet today, at this minute, there's an American car parked on Mars.

But nobody to give it a ticket - I think...

[Jim E]

I think NASA would have been able to make sure it didn't land in a Tow-away zone.

Marvelous accomplishment, when you consider all the things they had to get right!

I won't be surprised if we hear about signs of ancient life, in the coming months. Or even current life, for that matter.

[Janke]

I won't be surprised if we hear about signs of ancient life, in the coming months. Or even current life, for that matter.

To be really honest, I would be surprised - but pleasantly so.

[Jim E]

I'd put money on their chances of finding traces of microbial life, at least. Boy, wouldn't that put the cat among the pigeons!

[Janke]

G, A, F, low F, C

[Jim E]

Thus Spake Janke.

[cgbier]

If they find traces of water, the chances aren't too bad.

[Jim E]

If they find traces of water, the chances aren't too bad.

Yep. I heard one NASA guy mention the (admitedly highly remote) possibility of something like "worms" below the surface.

But however unlikely, if a NASA guy will go on record with something like that, I'll buy it.

[cgbier]

I don't believe the NASA one word. Neil Armstrong wasn't the first human on the moon. The NASA never published the report that when Armstrong did his first moonwalk, he met a happily whistling Chinese, cheap Leica copy around his neck, looking around like a tourist.

[cgbier]

Armstrong:"How did you get up here? You Chinese are centuries behind in rocket technology!"
Chinese:"We didn't need any rocket technology. There are that many of us, so one climbed on the shoulders of the other, until we made it here."

The NASA never brought this to the open.

[Janke]

It has been said that if all Chinese would be marching in a single file, the file would never end, because there would be more Chinese conceived and born all the time...

But - how'd they do it while marching???

[Khaver]

It won't be a ticket for parking NASA would get, it would be a fine for littering. And I heard the UN is thinking of imposing a tole on objects that pass through the Van Allen Belt.