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Scientists Look at Martian Salt for Ancient Life
eldavojohn writes "Is there life on Mars? Maybe not, but a better question might be whether or not it has ever existed on Mars? Scientists are claiming that the best indication for this will be in newly found evaporated salt deposits on Mars which they can use to check for cellulose. Here on earth, tiny fuzzy fibers have been found in salt dating back almost 250 million years making it the oldest known evidence of life on earth. Jack Griffith, a microbiologist from UNC, is quoted as saying, 'Cellulose was one of the earliest polymers organisms made during their evolution, so it pops out as the most likely thing you'd find on Mars, if you found anything at all. Looking for it in salt deposits is probably a very good way to go.'"
Basic research, even in areas that may seem quite remote from anything practical, is absolutely key to advancement.
Au contraire, mon ami, focused precision research is the absolute key to advancement in the 21st century. Unfocused research remote from practicality is just pissing in the wind at best and theft of public resources at worst. The era of the professional scientist, using the government funds of some superpower, doing basic research is a 20th century conceit that is effectively over.
The money isn't there anymore. The superpowers are broke. The long-term focused killer problems that need immediate attention of public funds are real, here and now.
To simply kill any research because one can't imagine an immediate benefit is a recipe for stagnation and lost opportunities.
In the real world, To simply fund any research because one can't imagine an immediate benefit is a recipe for stagnation and lost opportunities.