I like this:
Ulli Kaeufl of ESO, who was responsible for building one of the instruments used in this study and is a co-author of the new paper, adds: "I am again overwhelmed by how much power there is in remote sensing on other planets using astronomical telescopes: we found an ancient ocean more than 100 million kilometres away!"
I would like to see bigger and better telescopes in space more than I would like to see a mission to Mars.
Mars is all dried up. Let's use the technology of big space telescopes to find some actual living planets out there among the stars.
I realize that the two endeavors are not mutually exclusive, but there are limited funds available.
“I realize that the two endeavors are not mutually exclusive, but there are limited funds available.”
Yes, but you must realize there is a more than abundant amount of time before Humans will be able to visit another planet located across the abyss of interstellar space. In the meantime, the Solar System’s own asteroids and planets are enough to preserve Human civilization indefinitely.