Big intelligence broke this morning asNASA scientist announcedthe first direct evidence for water on Mars . Let that sink in for a moment . Water . On Mars . It ’s very exciting stuff , just in fourth dimension for the bigopening weekend of The Martian . Here ’s what we ’ve learn so far about this momentous discovery .
The firsthints of H2O on Mars appearedaboutfive twelvemonth ago , but there was n’t sufficient data point on the exact chemical substance composition of those obscure streak . Since then , NASA scientists have worked diligently to combine the Reconnaissance Orbiter ’s HiRISE camera double with ghostly datum from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars ( or CRISM ) to get a clean picture . And it worked!Per Gizmodo ’s Maddie Stone :
Images collected by the Reconnaissance Orbiter ’s HiRISE camera show that “ perennial side lineae ” — dismal streaks that resemble catamenia paths on Martian slope — appear to be seasonal , melt when still and reappearing annually over multiple Martian years . These feature alone steer at the mien of flowing water , but the veridical clincher comes in the form of spectral data , collected by the Reconnaissance Orbiter ’s Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer : Hydrated perchlorate salts within the catamenia itinerary . hydrous salt ( which contain H2O in their molecular bodily structure ) are muscular grounds of evaporated brine , possibly from an underground reservoir .
you’re able to take thefull scientific paperat Nature Geoscience . The jury is still out on exactlyhow Mars might have gottenits liquid water , but this latest data should offer further clues .
Naturally , NASA released lots of very pretty image of the Martian surface to coincide with the proclamation ; check out this art gallery of some of the most eye - popping image . you’re able to findeven more photos at NASA ’s website . Also savour this slap-up vivification :
For those ponderingwhat it all means , the discovery brings us one step closer to perhaps finding evidence of life on Mars — most likely eldritch microbial life sentence , but lifetime even so . It also stokes the passions of would - be distance traveller by raising the possibility that the red planet could be a viable habitat for a future human colony .
A few NASA scientist popped over toReddit for an AMAto solvent all those burning questions about precisely how much water we ’re talking about ( more like a tap water leak than Niagara descend ) and whether or not you could drink it ( not a good idea).Here are some of the highlights .
All of this is especially exciting in light of theongoing construction of NASA ’s next missionto Mars , theInterior Exploration using Seismic Investigations , Geodesy and Heat Transport(InSight for light ) , which will study the interior structure of the satellite :
“ Exploring Mars ’ deep subsurface will shed light on how the major planet has evolved geologically over metre , but InSight could also put up clues about Earth ’s future and the development of rocky planet at large … . According to NASA , the technological capability of InSight represent a decisive step toward amanned delegation to the Red Planet , which the space agency hop to embark off in the 2030s . ”
You interpret that right : a manned commission to Mars , possibly even eventual colonization of the ruby-red major planet . Some scientists think we might even be able togrow vegetables on Mars : the dirt up there is up to of supporting plant germination . In fact , it might even be as good as some of the pathetic grunge here on Earth .
Ah , but not so fast . Paleofuture ’s Matt Novakinterviewed JPL ’s legendary Gentry Leeback in 2012 , who helped put two landers on Mars — plus two orbiters around it — a near 40 years before Curiosity . He ’s learned a few matter from his years in the trenches . And for all his enthusiasm for search the blood-red major planet , Lee remains in question about a manned mission to Mars :
“ I ’m not against human spaceflight and I trust that once robots have done what they can do , if they have asked interrogation that only an interactional intelligence agency can answer it will be time to broadcast human beings there . But the mind that a human mission to Mars is on the horizon just defies all logic . I see no national or external will that is long enough in position or visual sensation — in other words , under the deepen political climate around the world — to sustain such an action at such an enormous cost . ”
Here ’s hoping Lee ’s pessimism proves unfounded , and humanity determine the will to keep reaching for the star . Until then , we can allflock to see The Martianthis weekend .
Image : A still from Lujendra Ojha presentation of the data for NASA today , showing precisely where along the gullies the discovery was made , 2015 .
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