NASA announces water currently on Mars

[Looch City]

NASA's going to announce a big discovery on Mars at 9:30am MT.

NASA to Announce Mars Mystery Solved
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/n...mystery-solved

NASA will detail a major science finding from the agency’s ongoing exploration of Mars during a news briefing at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 28 at the James Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The event will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Edit: NASA article

NASA Confirms Evidence That Liquid Water Flows on Today’s Mars
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/n...n-today-s-mars

[surferguy]

Researchers studying the surface of Mars have noticed thousands of dark streaks appearing on canyon walls and hillsides during Martian summer months. Now they have found definitive evidence of salty liquid water flowing within some of these seasonal streaks. SEPT. 28, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...ing-water.html

[Muta]

I really hope we are the verge of a new golden age in space exploration. It really is the top priority for our species going forward. At some point in the future, it's going to be the biggest, most important industry for mankind.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

NASA's going to announce a big discovery on Mars at 9:30am MT.

NASA to Announce Mars Mystery Solved
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/n...mystery-solved

Cross-Marketing the release of The Martian movie.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by troutman

Cross-Marketing the release of The Martian movie.

Better not contain spoilers.

[Coach]

In an office of all close-to, or over, 40 year olds. I say aloud, "So, they found liquid water on Mars."

Crickets.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by MattyC

In an office of all close-to, or over, 40 year olds. I say aloud, "So, they found liquid water on Mars."

Crickets.

Because to the average person, it really doesn't and shouldn't matter.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by peter12

Because to the average person, it really doesn't and shouldn't matter.

How dense does one have to be not think that the discovery of water on a (very) near by planet is not in the least bit interesting?

It is discoveries such as this that push mankind ahead.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

How dense does one have to be not think that the discovery of water on a (very) near by planet is not in the least bit interesting?

It is discoveries such as this that push mankind ahead.

Yeah but it's salty.

Have you tasted salt water?

Gross.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

How dense does one have to be not think that the discovery of water on a (very) near by planet is not in the least bit interesting?

It is discoveries such as this that push mankind ahead.

Maybe some people are overly focused on their work or have other things on their mind other than this discovery? Calling people dense for not responding to you is kind of ignorant as maybe they are busy and find you annoying and have you tuned out. I know I tune out certain people at work when I am busy.

[polak]

Originally Posted by MattyC

In an office of all close-to, or over, 40 year olds. I say aloud, "So, they found liquid water on Mars."

Crickets.

Same exact reaction here. I just said it out loud and all I got was a "that's good".

I guess it's been expected for so long that people aren't that surprised.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Maybe some people are overly focused on their work or have other things on their mind other than this discovery? Calling people dense for not responding to you is kind of ignorant as maybe they are busy and find you annoying and have you tuned out. I know I tune out certain people at work when I am busy.

I wasn't responding to that point of the comment, I agree people are busy or not tuned in. But to say people shouldn't care about it? Ignorance isn't bliss.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

How dense does one have to be not think that the discovery of water on a (very) near by planet is not in the least bit interesting?

It is discoveries such as this that push mankind ahead.

It's interesting, but really, not that interesting unless you are a specialist.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its interesting, but its not like they've discovered the tomb of Xenu the unbeatable, or a crashed martian spaceship or a city under the surface. while discovering signs of past water is interesting and important scientifically, to the average person wouldn't the response be "We kind of knew that from past discoveries, that there had been water on mars surface..

Its like they said on the Simpsons once, "where can I get some Tang around here"

As far as this propelling space exploration, I have my doubts that man will really push for more manned space exploration, and it will all continued to be done by probes. I doubt that the mission to Mars will happen in my lifetime, or a expedition to the deep space will happen while I'm still converting oxygen to carbon dioxide.

The fact is that anything beyond the International Space Station manned wise is too expensive and there are too few immediate benefits to it.

I mean, frankly I would prefer that all the nations of the World except for North Korea () pool all of their space program money together into one huge budget and start building a Star Destroyer sided Pulse Engine powered space ship crewed by an international crew to go to the edge of our solar system while planting Earth Flags where we can and exterminating all possible signs of life in the galaxy (Zap take that pre-biotic one celled organism under the surface of mars", blammo kill that frozen bacteria in the water on Iago.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by troutman

Cross-Marketing the release of The Martian movie.

From reddit:

Fun fact: one of the places where liquid water flows have been seen is Acidalia Planitia - same place they landed in The Martian.

[polak]

Next will be to send a rover to one of those sites and find life.

That should get more of a reaction from around the office.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by peter12

Because to the average person, it really doesn't and shouldn't matter.

Really?

Royalty used to send entire fleets of explorers to try and find shipping routes through uncharted lands and discover new places.

Now we find the ingredients for life on a different f***ing planet and it doesn't matter? Sure it confirms what a lot of us thought already, but that doesn't make it less interesting.

In that vein, how come the rover can't go to these streaks and test the water for life? Or can it?

[2Stonedbirds]

There was a time when everyone was glued to their tv sets to watch the lunar missions. Now, it's old hat.

Many have theorized for years that water has flowed on Mars, and that it even had ice caps. Maybe these people just assumed it was a matter of time and are not shocked? What do you expect them to do, stop what they are doing and marvel at the news such as you have done?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by 2Stonedbirds

There was a time when everyone was glued to their tv sets to watch the lunar missions. Now, it's old hat.

Many have theorized for years that water has flowed on Mars, and that it even had ice caps. Maybe these people just assumed it was a matter of time and are not shocked? What do you expect them to do, stop what they are doing and marvel at the news such as you have done?

See, that isn't old hat to me.

[Coach]

I guess I was looking for something above complete silence. Like a "huh, that's interesting" Or even a "Didn't they already know that?"

But literally nothing?

It was similar with the comet landing. "Hey we landed a rocket on a comet! It had to swing around all these planets and it took over a decade!" "Huh, neat."

Neat? It's god damn incredible!

It's been well-known that there was evidence of flowing water on Mars, and the ice caps have been known about forever. But to have water flowing there, right now, is pretty substantial. Enough so that a collection of some of the world's most intelligent people felt everyone should know about it.