Methane Gas, River Beds Found on Titan

Yahoo news ^ | 1-21-05 | European Space Agency

[followerofchrist]

PARIS - Saturn's largest moon apparently is lashed regularly by rain made of liquid methane, forming pools, cutting river beds and eroding rocks in much the same way that forces have shaped the Earth, scientists said.

The European Space Agency's probe that landed on Titan's frozen surface a week ago put Europe's stamp on the distant reaches of the solar system with its discoveries of a mysterious, methane-rich globe. snip On Earth, methane is a flammable gas. On Titan, it is a liquid because of the intense pressure and cold - 274 degrees below zero. snip The river beds are darkened by what seem to be particles of smog that fall out of Titan's atmosphere, coating the terrain. The dirt apparently gets washed off the ridges by the methane rain to collect in the river channels. snip Scientists believe the dark smog particles are formed by Titan's methane, breaking up in the atmosphere. That raised another question: Where does the methane come from?

"There must be some source of methane inside Titan which is releasing the gas into the atmosphere. It has to be continually renewed, otherwise it would have all disappeared," Owen said.

[followerofchrist]

I know where the methane comes from. Space alien cows farting on Titan! The smog? Little alien people driving around in SUV's.

[cyborg]

Dang you said it before me *lol*

[ovrtaxt]

Actually, it comes from Uranus.

[Mr. Mojo]

"More beans, Mr. Taggert?"

"I'd say you've had enough."

[cyborg]

LOL!

[JSteff]

Dang you said it before me *lol*

[zzen01]

2 Funny!

[ovrtaxt]

I was typing furiously-- it was so obvious, I knew I wouldn't be the only one...

[Dog]

Truly out of this world.

Saturn's largest moon apparently is lashed regularly by rain made of liquid methane, forming pools, cutting river beds and eroding rocks in much the same way that forces have shaped the Earth, scientists said.Methane rain.....wow!

[spodefly]

Titan is the first moon other than the Earth's to be explored, and David Southwood, ESA's director of science programs, reflected Europe's pride in the accomplishment. "Hello America, we're in the exploration business, too," Southwood told reporters.

Did the stingy Americans not lend any assistance to this effort?

[WestVirginiaRebel]

"Here comes the methane rain again..."

"Methane, riegn o'er me...methaaaaane!!!"

"I wanna know, have you ever seen the methane?"

[Mr. Mojo]

"Hello America, we're in the exploration business, too," Southwood told reporters.

Could this guy's inferiority complex be any more conspicuous?

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Titan must have a terrible global warming problem, as methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.

[TFine80]

I find the scientific elements very interesting, but these people need to get over their inferiority complex.

"Hello America," "Europe's Stamp," etc. It's ridiculous. Europe is a continent, still not a coherent unit. Why should Serbia or Moldova be proud of this accomplishment? The EU threw a few bucks at a joint-US/EU project similar to a number of others, and this is supposed to be some victory in a US/EU rivalry... Please.

[aomagrat]

If the probe developes an electrical short and starts sparking, could it turn Titan into a fireball?

[Fiddlstix]

I know where the methane comes from. Space alien cows farting on Titan! The smog? Little alien people driving around in SUV's.

Dang it all. I was going to say that. J

[Caipirabob]

Methane Gas, River Beds Found on Titan

At least we know where Michael Moore came from.

[Blowtorch]

Actually, it comes from Uranus.

Uranus is blamed for a lot of problems, but it's just a cold dark planet.

[billorites]

"Uranus is blamed for a lot of problems, but it's just a cold dark planet."

You don't know like I do!