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Why Mars Is Not the Best Place To Look For Life

Posted by Soulskill on from the red-dead-emption dept.

EccentricAnomaly writes "A story over at Science News quotes Alan Stern (former head of NASA Science missions) as saying: 'The three strongest candidates [for extraterrestrial life] are all in the outer solar system.' He's referring to Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. So why is NASA spending $2.5B on the next Mars Rover and planning to spend over $6B more on a Mars sample return when it can't find the money for much cheaper missions to Europa or Enceladus?"

2 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Because it's closer. by Jimbookis · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mars is closer to us than Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. Not just physically, but culturally. Literature, film, etc,

    Yes, that I have never quite gotten into or understood that Europan tentacle porn as much as I have the Martian three fingered face hugger porn. Titanian porn makes me feel inadequate.

  2. Europa is off-limits. We can't land there. by Cow+Jones · · Score: 1, Funny

    All these worlds are yours, except Europa.
    Attempt no landing there
    Use them together
    Use them in peace

    --

    Ah, arrogance and stupidity, all in the same package. How efficient of you. -- Londo Mollari