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Mars 3D- and you don't need the glasses
Anonymous Coward writes "Here's the story over at CNN about the new map NASA has of Mars - it's 3D. So, now we can get a feel for how water moved on the planet, just how large all those formations are, and when you want to take a Mars weekend vacation in a few years, you can pick that nice sunny spot beneath the 5 mile tall mountain. " Check out the NASA Mars Animations for eye-candy.
Because we can. That's the motivation for a lot of human accomplishments. They want to go there because it's there. That's why they went to the moon. That's why they climbed Everest. Also, the people who go there first will be famous. Just about everyone knows Armstrong and his "one giant leap...". We can't just sit still. It's not in our nature. Most people are driven to defy entropy in any way they can. Well, that's my philosophical 2 bits for the day.
Here's a link straight to the 3d animation of Mars
k ellan.mars.mov
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space/9905/27/mars.map/
Yes! Let's just sit here on OUR little rock with our fingers in our ears and blinders blocking our eyes & ignore the rest of the universe.
Firstly, we cannot "see" as much of Mars as we want from here, we need robotic probes for that due to that darned ATMOSPHERE that Mars has. Mars can give us a wealth of information on how planets form & perhaps even how they die. If you think that all geology processes are exactly the same on other planets as on earth, then you are wrong.
As for colonization, yes that is a bit far off...for this and the next century, but who knows what lies beyond. As for the unhabitated land on Earth, yes please, let's fill up EVERY square mile of this planet with humanity, that'll just be wonderful!
Finally, what then should we US citizens spend our tax dollars on? There's a LOT more scientific knowledge to be gained from studying the other planets of our solar system that NASA explains to the public, because the vast majority of the publci aren't scientists, and much more knowledge is gained from such Mars exploration missions than just some "nice pictures". Besides the knowledge & techniques learned in consrtucting exploration & space vehicles and systems (both manned & unmanned) is often applied to more mundane items. A lot of common high tech devices we find ubiquitous nowadays had their origin in NASA and space exploration research.
Respectfully,
Kevin Christie
kwchri@maila.wm.edu