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NASA Not Sharing a "Historic" Find On Mars.... yet
C-Net ^ | Novembe 21 ,2012 | Eric Mack

Posted on 11/24/2012 5:03:29 PM PST by lbryce

Data that NASA's discovery wee a sample of Martian dirt could be earth-shattering, but the space agency is taking time to check its work.

NASA's not sharing a 'historic' find on Mars... yet

Data from a sample of Martian dirt could be earth-shattering, but the space agency is taking time to check its work.

SAM, a mobile sample analysis lab, is currently mounted on Curiosity and finding interesting stuff in Martian soil.

It seems NASA and the Curiosity rover have found something exciting and nerd-tastic on Mars, but the space agency's scientists are holding back for now, despite how painful it appears to be for them.

NPR science correspondent Joe Palca happened to be in the room recently when John Grotzinger, lead scientist for the Curiosity mission at NASA, started receiving data on his computer from the rover's on-board chemistry lab, also known as SAM (sample analysis at Mars). SAM and NASA scientists on Earth have been busy analyzing a sample of Martian soil of late, and apparently the dirt from the Red Planet has a secret to tell.

"This data is going to be one for the history books, it's looking really good," Grotzinger said in the story that aired yesterday.

And that's about all he said.

Grotzinger and NASA have remained mum on what exactly Curiosity may have found in the Martian soil, saying it could be several more weeks until they're able to verify the data. The scientists need to make sure whatever earth-shattering find they have isn't an error or perhaps some kind of stowaway molecule or whatever it may be that hitched one really long ride from Earth.

So I contacted another space smarty-pants type not associated with NASA to see if he might have a guess.

Lewis Dartnell is a leading astrobiologist at The Centre For Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck in London. He makes it clear that with so little to go on, no one outside of NASA can know what the agency thinks it has, but, he says, "the SAM instrument is designed to detect organic molecules on Mars, so the smart money is on an announcement along those lines."

That's right, the smart money is on what we all were already thinking -- LIFE ON MARS.

The seas may be rising and more superstorms may continue to threaten humanity's most important megalopolises, but there could soon be an emerging market for condominiums on Mars to take our minds off of such challenges.

What do you think NASA's found on the fourth rock from the sun? Let us know in the comments. Or just tell us you know what it is, but then don't really tell us until next month.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: elonmusk; jimmyhoffa; life; mars; martianlife; spacex
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To: lbryce
Sadly, NASA has a history of both making hyped up claims, presumably to keep funding coming in, (because some of their claims come during the times congress is looking at their budget), and having to walk back their hyped up claims later on when other scientists refute their work.

Whatever they are claiming, it needs to be verified by outsiders before people just accept it. And even if it is verified, it needs to be put into context.

21 posted on 11/24/2012 5:35:36 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: lbryce

22 posted on 11/24/2012 5:37:17 PM PST by Dallas59 (President Robert Gibbs 2009-2011)
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To: lbryce
Data that NASA's discovery wee a sample of Martian dirt could be earth-shattering, but the space agency is taking time to check its work.

NASA's not sharing a 'historic' find on Mars... yet

Data from a sample of Martian dirt could be earth-shattering, but the space agency is taking time to check its work.

Sounds to me that NASA is waiting to withhold their findings until they doublecheck their work. Imagine that?

23 posted on 11/24/2012 5:39:13 PM PST by Drew68
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To: cripplecreek

Them fellas say they found dirt on Mars eh?

24 posted on 11/24/2012 5:39:37 PM PST by Average Al
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To: null and void

Exactly! (You’re FAST!)


25 posted on 11/24/2012 5:40:38 PM PST by faithhopecharity
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To: lbryce

All the jobs obamacare was supposed to create..?


26 posted on 11/24/2012 5:45:01 PM PST by cardinal4 (Constitution? What Constitution?)
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To: faithhopecharity

Thanks.


27 posted on 11/24/2012 5:45:20 PM PST by null and void (The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.)
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To: lbryce
More detail on the instrument in the story:

NASA Mars Rover Will Check for Ingredients of Life

28 posted on 11/24/2012 5:48:52 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: mountainlion

The enigma is that soon afterwards no methane had been detected.


29 posted on 11/24/2012 5:49:11 PM PST by lbryce (BHO:"Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds by way Oppenheiner at Trinity NM)
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To: lbryce

MARS IS MADE OF GOLD!


30 posted on 11/24/2012 5:52:35 PM PST by MrBambaLaMamba (This Message Contains Privileged Attorney-Client Communications)
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To: lbryce

MARS IS HALAL!


31 posted on 11/24/2012 5:53:31 PM PST by MrBambaLaMamba (This Message Contains Privileged Attorney-Client Communications)
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To: lbryce

They’ve found Obama’s real birth certificate!


32 posted on 11/24/2012 5:54:08 PM PST by MrBambaLaMamba (This Message Contains Privileged Attorney-Client Communications)
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To: cripplecreek

I am guessing that they found carbon and water.


33 posted on 11/24/2012 5:56:12 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Why is the government more concerned about protecting a microbe on Mars than an unborn baby here?)
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To: lbryce; KevinDavis

Thanks lbryce!

Huge Mars Colony Eyed by SpaceX Founder Elon Musk
SPACE.com | Date: 23 November 2012 Time: 07:00 AM ET | Rob Coppinger
Posted on 11/24/2012 2:48:04 PM PST by BenLurkin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2962677/posts


34 posted on 11/24/2012 5:57:04 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: jaz.357

So NASA discovered a grease based lifeform?


35 posted on 11/24/2012 6:00:39 PM PST by Farmer Dean (stop worrying about what they want to do to you,start thinking about what you want to do to them)
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To: txrefugee

I’d give odds that you are correct. I would suspect any finding that could be used expand their program, especially one that would require a new space shuttle and astronauts to go to Mars.


36 posted on 11/24/2012 6:01:03 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (The law of unintended consequences is an unforgiving and vindictive b!tch!)
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To: lbryce
Since Muslim outreach is Job #1 there, I guess they found the remains of Mohammed's winged horse, Barack.
37 posted on 11/24/2012 6:03:15 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.)
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To: lbryce

Probably something that’s a yawn to most people but exciting to the scientific community like amino acids in the soil or something.


38 posted on 11/24/2012 6:08:36 PM PST by MNDude
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To: FReepers; Patriots

FR really needs your help!

Please Contribute Tonight.

FReepathon Day 55

39 posted on 11/24/2012 6:10:11 PM PST by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: lbryce

If dirt on Earth is called “earth”, what would dirt on Mars be called?


40 posted on 11/24/2012 6:14:37 PM PST by Hegemony Cricket (The emperor < still > has no pedigree.)
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