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Posted on 06/14/2006 6:37:50 AM PDT by steve-b
If a rock like that hit Earth, it would never reach the ground.
Huh.
No, but I'm going to start rounding up suckers, um... bettors myself, as this sounds like a bet you can't lose.
No life found? We just haven't located it yet.
Got microbes? Jackpot!
From Space.com:
Poring over images on his home computer taken by the now-orbiting Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), Clarke said that there are signs of vegetation evident in the photos.
"I'm quite serious when I say have a really good look at these new Mars images," Clarke said. "Something is actually moving and changing with the seasons that suggests, at least, vegetation," he said.
Clarke is a brilliant guy, and I personally agree with the notion that science fiction and science fact are very often separated by little more than time. However, given what is known about the Martian climate and surface conditions, I am still having a hard time with the idea that there are current, active species of vegetation there.
Based on his description, it seems more likely that what he is seeing are changes in the surface coloration produced by drifting dust and sand, not vegetation. I have not yet been able to track down any of the images to which he refers, so I don't know, just a supposition.
Why is there a fireball? A flash due to ionization as kinetic energy is transferred seems likely, but a fireball would seem to have substantial duration.
I assume they're referring to the rapidly dissipating cloud of vaporized meteoroid/moonrock as a "fireball". It wouldn't behave the same as a fireball in atmo, of course.
Moonbases potentially hardest hit.
Steven Hawking is in the news with his recommendation that we colonize outer space. Clarke turned his back on colonization of outer space decades ago--contributing, along with Sagan, to the 30-year siesta of the space program--and therefore should be ignored. Hawking is a great guy, although when he descends to the level that we ordinary people can understand he is taking vital time and energy away from his theoretical physics.
space ping.
Hey, some of the bugs growing in my nickel plating solution would grow just fine on Mars. Other earthling extremophiles would do well in volcanic vents, etc. on Mars.
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Moon Unit Zappa unaccounted for!
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