Phoenix Lander Mission Discovers Life On Mars?

[Darryl]

Hi Dennis,

Does finding Perchlorate's really warrant the initial comments about what was being kept secret as being "BIG". I myself am very interested in the finds that could support the potential for life to develop, but unless they find something living on Mars or show past life to have existed, I can't say I feel like jumping up and down.

Regards,

[dmill1220]

HI Darryl,

You're absolutely right. It still leaves me wondering why all the secrecy?
This kind of news while pretty fascinating, does not warrant "Being kept under wraps".
I wonder if there must be some kind of new Policy shifts towards any scientific public announcement of Mars that require Presidential notification .?????

It must be something more than they are letting us know for now.
what I find puzzling is what protocol requires the presidential office notification of any scientific discovery on Mars which has to be first filtered in such a Manner?

Possible grandstanding for the public?

Dennis

[ozzmoziz]

Originally Posted by dmill1220

HI Darryl,

You're absolutely right. It still leaves me wondering why all the secrecy?
This kind of news while pretty fascinating, does not warrant "Being kept under wraps".
I wonder if there must be some kind of new Policy shifts towards any scientific public announcement of Mars that require Presidential notification .?????

It must be something more than they are letting us know for now.
what I find puzzling is what protocol requires the presidential office notification of any scientific discovery on Mars which has to be first filtered in such a Manner?

Possible grandstanding for the public?

Dennis

as impress an audience

[Dragon Star]

Huh, this is the first I've heard of this...interesting. And I agree with you all, the secrecy around such news seems to scream future conspiracies, why do it?

[Nokton]

Oh my, posted my views on this to Darryl a few days ago.
Am just a cantankerous old man these days. The word old is relative,
much learning and knowledge from the study of life and the experience of it, produces a concept of life that youth, and the commited, not understand.
There is no cover up, but dwell on this, NASA perhaps, in wisdom, trying
to be covert. The repercussions to news of life on other worlds on religious denominations could be dire. As I implyed to Darryl, if we ever found intelligent life, with a 'god' concept totally different from christianity
or muslim, the mind boggles at the problems that would ensue.
Nokton

[Blue Fire]

Yup, I followed this "big" news thing with great interest too - and I must say I'm more than a tad disillusioned with how it all worked out. But then, we've been there done that before with NASA. Of course all the media hype (online and elsewhere) contributed to overblown speculations about the actual news to come. Heh, just you wait,... if life really is ever confirmed on Mars (or elsewhere, like Enceladus), the official announcement will probably be quietly en passant while detailing technical operations of the equipment/craft making the discovery.

[Nokton]

Originally Posted by Blue Fire

Yup, I followed this "big" news thing with great interest too - and I must say I'm more than a tad disillusioned with how it all worked out. But then, we've been there done that before with NASA. Of course all the media hype (online and elsewhere) contributed to overblown speculations about the actual news to come. Heh, just you wait,... if life really is ever confirmed on Mars (or elsewhere, like Enceladus), the official announcement will probably be quietly en passant while detailing technical operations of the equipment/craft making the discovery.

Hi Blue, funny old world, that a possible president of the greatest nation
on earth, is subscribed to the belief that evolution is nonesense, and the
earth is only 7 thousand years old. Is this what NASA has to look to, and
be aware of when seeking its funding. Blue, if life on Mars is found, even
in humble bacteria 300 thousand years old, would NASA reveal something
that would cut off its funding? NASA has nothing to hide but its survival
in an increasing unscientific America. Bush has again and again stifled
science, blocked science, Palin will do the same. You want to see the end
of a scientific era? Vote for them. I care not. But do not hang to dry the innocents in this forum, including NASA, reason, and science.

[Blue Fire]

Originally Posted by Nokton

Hi Blue, funny old world, that a possible president of the greatest nation
on earth, is subscribed to the belief that evolution is nonesense, and the
earth is only 7 thousand years old. Is this what NASA has to look to, and
be aware of when seeking its funding. Blue, if life on Mars is found, even
in humble bacteria 300 thousand years old, would NASA reveal something
that would cut off its funding? NASA has nothing to hide but its survival
in an increasing unscientific America. Bush has again and again stifled
science, blocked science, Palin will do the same. You want to see the end
of a scientific era? Vote for them. I care not. But do not hang to dry the innocents in this forum, including NASA, reason, and science.

I wasn't hanging to dry ANYone. My intent was simply to put a humorous, albeit sarcastic spin on the whole affair. After all, we have indeed seen several episodes of upcoming announcements from NASA that our media seemed to "take off and run with" by attempting to read between the lines and make a possible mountain out of a molehill - leading readers and the public to begin hypothesizing much bigger news than was actually forthcoming. I have no complaints about NASA here, but wouldn't it be ironically funny if indeed NASA was so "gun shy" that it leaked the news of life on Mars oh so casually in between a bunch of other routine technical updates and lesser news? No disrespect intended.

As for your opinion on Palin (she's a possible Vice President, not President), I doubt anyone yet knows exactly what she will do as vice president, but I'd wager that Americans would have a better guess than folk from other nations. Did you hear somewhere that she thinks that evolution is nonsense and that the Earth is only 7,000 years old? I've not heard this at all! I am quite sure that neither of the Bush presidents thought so - they would have been laughed out of office before they even took office. I would very much like to hear your evidence of these people having those beliefs. Perhaps we could start another thread on this topic - I don't really want to derail this thread away from the Phoenix Lander topic too much.

As always, regards,
Blue Fire

[Nokton]

Originally Posted by Blue Fire

I wasn't hanging to dry ANYone. My intent was simply to put a humorous, albeit sarcastic spin on the whole affair. After all, we have indeed seen several episodes of upcoming announcements from NASA that our media seemed to "take off and run with" by attempting to read between the lines and make a possible mountain out of a molehill - leading readers and the public to begin hypothesizing much bigger news than was actually forthcoming. I have no complaints about NASA here, but wouldn't it be ironically funny if indeed NASA was so "gun shy" that it leaked the news of life on Mars oh so casually in between a bunch of other routine technical updates and lesser news? No disrespect intended.

As for your opinion on Palin (she's a possible Vice President, not President), I doubt anyone yet knows exactly what she will do as vice president, but I'd wager that Americans would have a better guess than folk from other nations. Did you hear somewhere that she thinks that evolution is nonsense and that the Earth is only 7,000 years old? I've not heard this at all! I am quite sure that neither of the Bush presidents thought so - they would have been laughed out of office before they even took office. I would very much like to hear your evidence of these people having those beliefs. Perhaps we could start another thread on this topic - I don't really want to derail this thread away from the Phoenix Lander topic too much.

As always, regards,
Blue Fire

Hi Blue, Thanx your response. Value you. Your media picks up on the fact that she is a committed christian, and subscribes to the belief that the earth is only 7k years old, ask you, in science, where are you going
with this? Bush said about global warming threat, God never let us down.
The cards are on the table Blue, only by science can we devise a solution to an increasing dilema. Science has the answer, but only if the politics let science get on with it, no stifle it. Blue, who is the real fool, the fool, or the fool who follows him.
As always, regards to you too, and respect,
Nokton

[dmill1220]

Originally Posted by Nokton

Hi Blue, Thanx your response. Value you. Your media picks up on the fact that she is a committed christian, and subscribes to the belief that the earth is only 7k years old, ask you, in science, where are you going
with this? Bush said about global warming threat, God never let us down.
The cards are on the table Blue, only by science can we devise a solution to an increasing dilema. Science has the answer, but only if the politics let science get on with it, no stifle it. Blue, who is the real fool, the fool, or the fool who follows him.
As always, regards to you too, and respect,
Nokton

Peter,

With all due respect, Let me inform you that being a christian does not necessarily mean that you believe that the Earth is only 7,000 years old.

I am a Christian, and I sure dont believe that nonsense either, so are most of my friends, to make this association with all Christians is not only preposterous, but just down right incorrect.

Lets try to stay on topic and not go into politics or Dogma.
Astronomy is a science, and every time we try to mix science with religion and politics, the only result is anger or discontent.

To me the protocol that NASA seems to have taken seems to be a publicity stunt designed to generate more interest in Space, probably to help get more funding for future missions.

No one person here on this forum is a fool, following another fool.

Dennis