Slashdot Mirror
Mars Orbiter Sees Changes
pin_gween writes "The long-lived Mars Global Surveyor (8 yrs and flying) has enabled scientists to see changes in the surface of Mars. From the article: 'New gullies that did not exist in mid-2002 have appeared on a Martian sand dune. New impact craters formed since the 1970s suggest changes to age-estimating models. And for three Mars summers in a row, deposits of frozen carbon dioxide near Mars' south pole have shrunk from the previous year's size, suggesting a climate change in progress.' The probe's primary mission ended in 2001 and scientists are hopeful the orbiter's life can be extended for another 5 -10 years."
Our little orbiter is finally becomeing a man.
Who cares id the ice cap is melting there... any buildings or roads they have built in 5 years?
http://www.automatiq.se
The Mars face has started to smile.
--- Eat my sig.
It would show definite evidence that man is affecting climate change.
Every we go we seem to fuck up the climate.
"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
NO, NO, NO - just think about the percentage increase in cars on Mars in the last few years! :-)
Beagle II has been digging to bury alien bones!
Yay the Noodly Appendage!.. for it moves in mysterious ways.
...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.
See, there is the PROOF!
Americans land two mini-SUVs on Mars, tool around the countryside making tracks, and triggers global warming!
Q.E.D.
"One could hope that since climate study on Mars should not be easily politicalized"
Not a chance - global warming is highly politicised here on Earth, and it immediately becomes politicised on Mars if someone tries to make a connection - by BOTH sides
I can see it now:
Greasy Capitalist Oil Baron: "Clearly we can see that this proves that global warming is actual a solar-system wide effect that has nothing to do with hydrocarbons"
Rabid Socialist Masquerading as Environmentalist: "Destroy the corporations before they destroy our beautiful planet!!!"
Meanwhile rational, unbiased scientific studies are difficult to come by - and do not get the publicity that studies that (randomly or otherwise) agree with one of the political camps outlined in exaggerated form above. It's quite annoying really.
Johns: Well, how does it look now? Riddick: Looks clear.
It's a million to one chance but why risk it?
That's where you're wrong. I can categorically gaurantee that the number of Pirates on Mars right now is quickly approaching Zero. That can quite obviously be tied to the increase in temperature. I think we've already established the relationship between Pirates and global warming. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Does this mean there are pirates on Mars?
Of course, it would be George Bush's fault.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
OMG, you're right! It's not even the most evil, pernicious or destructive of the greenhouse gases. We must sign an international treaty immediately to stop this incredible threat to the earth.
After much research (mid-post), I have discovered that the threat is much more far reaching than mere climate change. We must do something now!
In Pasta we trust, RAmen.
"Unheard of means only it's undreamed of yet,
Impossible means not yet done." ~~ Julia Ecklar
Well if Mars is going through what appears to be similar changes as the Earth then perhaps we need to go back and look at what we share in common, namely the sun.
Hey, that's SO true! I never thought of that before!
So all of our hairspray cans and car exhaust are actually making the SUN hotter!
We humans are even bigger jerks than I thought!
Oh, wait. I forgot about the Beagle 2 probe the brits lost. Nevermind.
I sure hope the scientists didn't count that one in their age-estimating models.
One hydrogen bomb wouldn't do anything. How about fifty ?
The Martian economy took a serious blow today when the industrial sector was given a series of mandates to cut their emissions to a 'green' level. The infamous pseudoscientific Martian pinko brigade has introduced crumbling evidence that the recent shrinkage inthe polar caps was a direct result of sapient impact on the global climate. A previously unknown fringe group is trying to cast blame at the planet Earth, claming that emissions from that planet are the true cause.... Film at eleven.
And it's not just global warming. It's also the increased erosion, caused by greedy capitalist exploitation, supported by the Republican's business-first policies.
I tell ya, they just don't care about protecting the environment...
If only Bush had "signed Kyoto"... Damn him, he's even destroying Mars!
Katrina was accurately predicted. That is why they started evac of NOLA 2 days ahead of time (a none prediction would have waited until it hit). Of course, it was not predicted 4-5 days ahead, but only 2. Just as right now, the prediction is that Rita will hit somewhere in Texas. It may hit NOLA again, but the prediction is that rita will hit at Houston or just south. And that is 4 days out.
Now, as to global warming; That is also real. That is fact. The fact that glaciers all over the world are shrinking at an unheard of rate is absolute proof. Print not good enough for you? Then there are plenty of pix of glaciers from 100 years ago, that clearly show they were much larger. Google a bit. In fact, the only ice that is growing is Antarctica which the models clearly showed would happen due to increased moisture in the air (it is still DAMN cold there).
The real issue is not Global Warming (which even your leader has now accepted as happening). The issues are
As to stop making predictions based upon ignorance, well, yes, I would very much like that. In fact, it would be nice to not deal with posts made on ignorance as well. My prediction is that neither will occur.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.