Water Ice on Mars! Maybe Life?
I’m a little belated in saying this, but the NASA Phoenix lander conclusively discovered in one of its samples evidence of water ice in the Martian polar region. The key is that it was just one sample, so I would personally like to see another one come up with the same data, but NASA has gone out on a limb to announce this discovery so I’m giving it all the credit it warrants.
However, there is another story brewing, one which harkins back to the potential discovery of micro-fossils in Martian meteorite ALH84001 in 1996. Word is starting to circulate in the space news communitythat the White House has been informed of test results from one of Phoenix’s instruments, called the Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (or MECA.) The results from these tests are also being peer reviewed and their eventual publication is expected in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) Science magazine. I’m not aware of a potential publication date.
Rest assured though, despite what Phoenix may or may not have uncovered on Mars, the discovery of water ice on Mars is still significant, and will be one for the history books.
Apollo 14 Astronaut Claims ET Cover-up
Former Moon-walking astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell said during a radio interview in Australia late last month that he was one of the privileged few to have the inside scoop on the truth about the existence of extra terrestrial life in the universe. He even went as far to say that governments around the world are well aware of and have been in contact with ET’s for some time and many, including America’s, are gearing up to reveal information on the subject.
While I take stories like this with a grain of salt, it is still interesting that a reputable NASA astronaut would go out on a limb to make such an announcement. Like anything else, we’ll wait and see what happens. Perhaps Dr. Mitchell’s claims could come to fruition and enough information could be revealed to settle the debate once and for all.