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Probable Water Ice Sighted On Mars

Posted by timothy on from the pronounced-wooder-ice-in-philly dept.

CraftyJack writes "Bright white chunks in the trenches dug by the Phoenix Lander have disappeared, leading Peter Smith & co. to believe that the chunks were ice that has since sublimated."

18 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. The real question is... by Zosden · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is there oil?

    1. Re:The real question is... by sjf · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well now we understand why he announced the pre-emptive strike:

      http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4551-bush-to-announce-manned-mission-to-mars.html

    2. Re:The real question is... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

      btw, I feel the need to mention that H2O ice doesn't sublimate, CO2 ice does. *Whoosh*! (That was the sound of all the world's freeze dryers stopping working simultaneously...)
      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    3. Re:The real question is... by gyrogeerloose · · Score: 4, Funny

      There's no such word as democratyatize. It's democratalyze. Sheesh.

      --
      This ain't rocket surgery.
    4. Re:The real question is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I thought that was from asshole roommates.

    5. Re:The real question is... by morari · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sailors
      Fighting in the dance hall.
      Oh man!
      Look at those cavemen go.
      It's the freakiest show.
      Take a look at the lawman
      Beating up the wrong guy.
      Oh man!
      Wonder if he'll ever know
      He's in the best selling show.
      Is there ice on Mars?

      --
      "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
    6. Re:The real question is... by gnick · · Score: 4, Funny

      Everything here eventually (or immediately) degrades to politics, religion, or inane pedantics. If that's the way things go, that's because that's the way the gods want them to be. Besides, your decision to apply the 'serial' or 'Harvard' comma before the phrase "or inane pedantics" clearly shows a lack of proper use of style guides or general sophistication. The 'serial comma' is appropriate in major publications or papers, but not in newspapers, columns or short elucidations (such as slashdot comments.)

      But, I'm probably wasting my time arguing logical, on-topic points with an obvious liberal.

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
  2. Rubbish. by jd · · Score: 5, Funny

    The white things were Martian beach loungers. And as they were there first, I strongly suspect they were German-speaking Martians.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  3. Couple more things... by Bandman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Excellent. Some coke and rum and we've got ourselves a party!

    --
    Check out my sysadmin blog!
  4. Yeah, we know. by oskard · · Score: 5, Funny

    This was proven SO long ago.

    --
    Sigs are for Terrorists.
  5. Re:Was there ever doubt? by NMerriam · · Score: 4, Funny

    Indeed, we've known this for several presidential administrations:

    If there is water, that means there is oxygen.

    If oxygen, that means we can breathe.

    --
    Recursive: Adj. See Recursive.
  6. Re:This is why robots aren't great for science by Loadmaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    B: Philip Fry crashes on moon and dies a death Oh! Had they only built the ship with 6000 and 1 hulls this would have been avoided. When will they ever learn?

    I agree though; this robot isn't as good as a human, but the folks at NASA are pretty bright. It's speculation now but after a few more tests they'll have the data they need for a solid conclusion. It's still very early in the lander's mission on Mars. We need to have a little patience.

  7. We Blew It by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 5, Funny

    After all this time and effort, we finally found water on Mars, and we let it get away!

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  8. Re:what they should do by MichaelSmith · · Score: 4, Funny

    I bet you could write about three thick books on that theme. You could pit a bunch of conservative geology types against power mad engineers with a small group of middle ground heroes in the middle

    But what would you call it. Something Mars. I know Red Mars, then the next book gets a slightly different name.

    The only problem is that the third book would probably run out of ideas about 10% of the way through.

    Maybe its not such a good idea to after all...

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  9. Re:Great Scott !! by sjf · · Score: 5, Funny

    You see, you had a splendid joke there, and then you went and spoiled it.
    Any truly civilized individual knows that a Martini is made with gin, not vodka.

    Sheesh, when will these damn colonials ever learn ?

  10. Re:Great Scott !! by flewp · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, Martinis may be made with gin, but martiantinis are made with vodka. Duh.

    --
    WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
  11. They Really Really Really Found Water (Almost) by KidSock · · Score: 4, Funny

    This time they really really really really really really found water. Just like the last time they really really really found water. But that one time they found water they really didn't. But this time they really almost definitely did.

  12. preach that sophist love, brother! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    There is absolutely no need to prove that the Earth is the center of the universe, orbited by the other celestial bodies.

    Just pull up a Ptolemaic diagram (google is your friend), look at the center (i.e. within the orbits of the planets), and what do you see?

    A circle which is, in fact, the Earth.

    And what does the fact that the Sun and all other celestial bodies have concentric orbits around the Earth prove?

    Bingo. Geocentrism.