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Probes May Drill For Liquid Water On Mars
spike hay writes: "According to this article at Space.com, we may send a sample-return probe to Mars in 2005 that will drill a few hundred feet into the Martian surface to look for liquid water. Scientists believe that great quantities of briny water could exist under the surface permafrost, warmed by volcanism. Finding liquid water on Mars would help sustain future colonists, and it even may open up the possibility that life might still exist on Mars."
Another thing to remember: If it wasn't spent on digging on mars, where would it be spent? Sure as hell not on curing disease. Most likely it would go straight to the military where it would be as useless as a hip pocket on a singlet.
Liquid Water is much more important, It will be the first step in colonization of the red planet. It can be converted to Oxygen, and Hydrogen for breathing and power, not to mention hygene and survival for almost all biological things on earth. It doesn't matter if there is oil or not. I don't think most conventional engines would work anyways in that thin atmosphere, conventional combustion requires oxygen to be burned with the oil. Gas is on its way out as a source for power, It's all about the Hydrogen.