Posted on 05/22/2007 8:57:36 PM PDT by blam
Broken wheel reveals water on Mars
By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:59am BST 23/05/2007
A broken wheel on a space vehicle has helped uncover strong evidence that water did flow on Mars, which could prove that there was life on the planet.
Tyre tracks left by the Spirit rover have revealed the presence of silica in the Martian soil
Analysis of soil uncovered when a wheel jammed on Spirit, one of Nasa's two Rover buggies, has revealed that it contains 90 per cent silica - a concentration only likely to have formed when water is present.
Experts said last night that the finding showed that water had flowed on the surface of Mars within the last tens of millions of years.
The discovery was said to have been greeted with "gasps of astonishment" by mission scientists at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
If it can be proved that Mars had water within the last few millions of years then it would make the discovery of either past or current life more likely.
Water cannot remain in liquid form for long today because sub-zero surface temperatures and low atmospheric pressure would turn it into ice or gas.
One theory is that the silica was formed by acid vapours when soil mixed with water during periods of volcanic activity.
Doug McCuistion, director of the exploration programme, said: "This unexpected discovery reinforces the fact that significant amounts of water were present, which continues to spur the hope that we can show that Mars was once habitable and possibly supported life."
Prof Jan-Peter Muller, from University College London, said: "Evidence on the surface shows there is no question water flowed, but the real questions are how recently did it flow and did it hang around long enough to actually sit around on the surface.
"If water has been around in the last few million years then the possibility that there might be some kind of organisms that we would call life are greater."
Spirit, and Opportunity, its twin, have been sending back information and images from the surface of Mars for more than three years. They were only expected to be there for three months when their missions started in 2004.
Steven Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University, New York, said: "This is a remarkable discovery.
"And the fact that we found something this new and different after nearly 1,200 days on Mars makes it even more remarkable. It makes you wonder what else is still out there."
Especially Marvin's Rover!
Duck Dodgers?
Tyre Tracks on my street prove that there was once life in this old town, perhaps tens of millions of years ago.
“which could prove that there was life on the planet”
What a stupid thing to say....
They were only expected to be there for three months when their missions started in 2004.
Since there is no way to remove the Rovers - they would be expected to be there forever (or until we get to Mars and bring them back and put them in a museum ...).
On the other hand, a more accurate statement would have indicated that ...They were only expected to function for a few months before they failed. The designer/builder was tasked to build the Rovers to last at least 30 days!
Maybe its a nit - but writers of scientific articles should strive to be technically accurate!
Mike
Go to your room and study your "Toons"
Martian rocks contain silica? How utterly!!
Living creatures make water, don’t ya know?
In the twenty-third and a half century!!!
(comic relief)
You are way too good about giving useful feedback.
The writer is an moronic idiot (alternatively, a idiotic moron). He needs to be slapped across the face, like three or four times maybe.
Even something initially thought bad had produced something good they may not have found at all.
That broken wheel turned into a surface grater!
“which could prove that there was life on the planet”
***I usually don’t post pictures. Wasn’t there a cool picture once posted about what the media considered “proof of life” on Mars versus “proof of life” within the womb? It was an interesting juxtaposition.
“which could prove that there was life on the planet”
***I usually don’t post pictures. Wasn’t there a cool picture once posted about what the media considered “proof of life” on Mars versus “proof of life” within the womb? It was an interesting juxtaposition.
This is a non sequitor. The presence of water does not prove anything. The leaps of faith never cease to amaze me!
“hope that we can show that Mars was once habitable and possibly supported life.”
Too cold! Life likes warmer places.
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