NASA announcement pretty cool

[GK4Herd]

NASA announced today the discovery of briny liquid water seepage in the soil of Mars. This is exciting because the presence of liquid water is a good place to start the hunt for microbial life. The media made a mess of it as usual by sensationalizing the herald of today's announcement as possibly discovering life, and. then acting disappointed when they announced liquid water. But make no mistake about it, this is a pretty big discovery. We knew water once existed, an we've known for a while that it exists in the form of ice at the poles and in craters. But the ice is going from a solid to gas and gas to solid. This is the first time that they've confirmed it in liquid form. Also...they won't try to use a rover to take a look for fear that earth borne microbes on the rover might contaminate it. This will take a new mission and advanced sterilization techniques.

 

[herdfan429]

I'm sure it's no coincidence that this announcement came just days before the Martian opens

 

[GK4Herd]

Not sure if NASA is in cahoots with Holywood. Are you saying the announcement is an effort to boost pre movie hype? I'm not discounting anything but I'm not sure what NASA has to gain by timing discovery announcements with movie premieres.

 

[herdftblfan]

If there is water, I believe there will be life, at least in the most basic of forms.

 

[i am herdman]

If there is water, I believe there will be life, at least in the most basic of forms.

Yep, look at morgantown, wv. Has water and life in the most basic of forms.

 

[extragreen]

Yep, look at morgantown, wv. Has water and life in the most basic of forms.

That's gold herdman. Gold.

 

[i am herdman]

Speaking of NASA. If you follow the news of drones and unmanned aerial systems and how they are gaining popularity there is a move to push NASA into management and tracking system implentation of drones and their flight in our skies.

This might breath new life into the NASA.

 

[herdftblfan]

Yep, look at morgantown, wv. Has water and life in the most basic of forms.

Nice!

 

[GeauxHerd]

If there is water, I believe there will be life, at least in the most basic of forms.

The problem with this water is the perchlorate salts. Perchlorate is very deadly to life forms and detrimental to organic materials needed for life(as we know it anyway). Mars also is bombarded by uv light with out an ozone layer. If there is any life on Mars its likely In the groundwater and permafrost closer to the poles. Current life that is.

 

[herdfan429]

Not sure if NASA is in cahoots with Holywood. Are you saying the announcement is an effort to boost pre movie hype? I'm not discounting anything but I'm not sure what NASA has to gain by timing discovery announcements with movie premieres.

I don't think nasa is actively promoting the movie but I think they would make this announcement to coincide with the movie hype.

 

[herdftblfan]

The problem with this water is the perchlorate salts. Perchlorate is very deadly to life forms and detrimental to organic materials needed for life(as we know it anyway). Mars also is bombarded by uv light with out an ozone layer. If there is any life on Mars its likely In the groundwater and permafrost closer to the poles. Current life that is.

You are obviously much more knowledgeable about this topic than am I.

 

[herdftblfan]

I don't think nasa is actively promoting the movie but I think they would make this announcement to coincide with the movie hype.

I'm eager to see the movie.

 

[GeauxHerd]

You are obviously much more knowledgeable about this topic than am I.

I have worked with perchlorates at a NASA facility before ;-), but for different reasons other than the Mars program.

 

[GeauxHerd]

I'm eager to see the movie.

Me too. I actually like Interstellar. I guess a lot of people didnt.

 

[herdftblfan]

Me too. I actually like Interstellar. I guess a lot of people didnt.

I loved it because it wasn't the norm.

 

[GK4Herd]

Me too. I actually like Interstellar. I guess a lot of people didnt.

Where have you been? We had a really good thread on it at the time. I bought the book' "The Science of Interstellar," and read most of it before I watched it. Nice to have another geek posting here.

Also...you might be interested in going to Reddit and finding the AMA that hit yesterday. The AMA features the NASA scientist who are working on the Mars water discovery. They mention the toxicity of perchlorate salt (this isn't table salt), but still claim it's a good place to start the search for life.

The Reddit thread...

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3mq1wl/were_nasa_mars_scientists_ask_us_anything_about/?

 

[GeauxHerd]

Where have you been? We had a really good thread on it at the time. I bought the book' "The Science of Interstellar," and read most of it before I watched it. Nice to have another geek posting here.

Also...you might be interested in going to Reddit and finding the AMA that hit yesterday. The AMA features the NASA scientist who are working on the Mars water discovery. They mention the toxicity of perchlorate salt (this isn't table salt), but still claim it's a good place to start the search for life.

The Reddit thread...

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3mq1wl/were_nasa_mars_scientists_ask_us_anything_about/?

Thanks for the link. Yes the liquid water is a game changer, but I still don't that's the best place to look for current life. I've actually had a discussion with a former NASA geologist who worked on the hiRise program and they insisted that those lines weren't formed by liquid water (this was last year), but I held to my belief that they were and looky now. From the video conference, my best guess would be that these perchlorate salts are absorbing the atmospheric moisture and becoming over saturated and then flowing downhill. Based on where they are located I don't think its a groundwater deal since there isn't any rain on Mars. Still all very interesting stuff. I'll have to be more mindful of Pullman now.

 

[GK4Herd]

What exactly is your field, Geaux? Chemistry? And thanks for your insight.

 

[GeauxHerd]

What exactly is your field, Geaux? Chemistry? And thanks for your insight.

Geology, but the Environmental type not oil and gas etc.

 

[GeauxHerd]

What exactly is your field, Geaux? Chemistry? And thanks for your insight.

im on the right GK

 

[i am herdman]

Damn, I always said we had a few rocket scientists on here. But, I was just kidding.

 

[GeauxHerd]

Damn, I always said we had a few rocket scientists on here. But, I was just kidding.

I wouldn't count myself as a rocket scientist

 

[GK4Herd]

This perchlorate thing is interesting to me. I had no clue what it was until this broke so I decided to research it a little. What I discovered, as Geaux confirmed, is that this is the stuff of rocket fuel and explosives. Two of the biggest obstacles of sending people to Mars is how you would sustain life there for any length of time without water and how do you get them back. Weight is the main issue. Right now when we go into space we only need to have enough fuel to get us out of Earth's gravitational pull. But if we want to bring people back from Mars we would need enough fuel to overcome Mar's gravity as well. Throw in all the weight for food and life support and it becomes next to impossible. But if the stuff of rocket fuel is found in the Martian soil, could we possibly manufacture what we need once we get there? Separating the perchlorate from the water could possibly kill two birds with one stone...thinking out loud here.

So I googled this and came up with an article from 2009 that addresses the perchlorate in the soil and how it could draw water and be a possible source for fuel. It also states that it might make conditions ripe for microbial life as well. It's a very interesting article. From Universe Today...

http://www.universetoday.com/33931/...-for-potential-habitable-environment-on-mars/

 

[GeauxHerd]

You are thinking like a Robert Zubrin now GK. Well done sir.

 

[GK4Herd]

Probably the most significant obstacle to overcome is the exposure to the sun's harmful radiation. The Earth's core consists of molten iron. That molten interior is also spinning which creates a magnetic field. That magnetic field deflects most of the Sun's harmful radiation and allows life to thrive. If you want the beautiful evidence of that take in the northern and southern lights. (Aurora Borealis and and Aurora Australus) Mar's core has cooled and is solid so therefore doesn't have a magnetic field. That means anyone who goes there has to be protected from that harmful radiation as well as all the other obstacles. But hey...if Matt Damon can survive it for a year and a half.

 

[GeauxHerd]

Probably the most significant obstacle to overcome is the exposure to the sun's harmful radiation. The Earth's core consists of molten iron. That molten interior is also spinning which creates a magnetic field. That magnetic field deflects most of the Sun's harmful radiation and allows life to thrive. If you want the beautiful evidence of that take in the northern and southern lights. (Aurora Borealis and and Aurora Australus) Mar's core has cooled and is solid so therefore doesn't have a magnetic field. That means anyone who goes there has to be protected from that harmful radiation as well as all the other obstacles. But hey...if Matt Damon can survive it for a year and a half.

The uv radiation deal can be solved by covering your living quarters with the native soils and dirt.

 

[extragreen]

Are we looking for the All Spark?

 

[GK4Herd]

Are we looking for the All Spark?

Ok...I admit...I googled that.

 

[extragreen]

Ok...I admit...I googled that.

Hey, if we ain't looking for the Allspark, why are we in space exploration at all.

 

[GeauxHerd]

Hey, if we ain't looking for the Allspark, why are we in space exploration at all.

Lame

 

[extragreen]

Lame

I suppose it could be seen that way when you lack a sense of humor.