Oh kewl.

/me gets old Elite traders book out

New entry

Mars - Opals = free

How many hyper jumps from Ross 154 ?

So many jokes there I don't know where to start. You guys spoilt us by dropping that in there at the end of the article.

Paris because, well, was there any other option?

'The "largest known crevice in the solar system", apparently.'

Are we sure that that title doesn't belong to <insert name of currrently derided celebutard here>?

No, I've already got me coat, thanks all the same!

Theres a pine plantation in the bottom left of that picture.

That dates liquid water to now.

This NASA lot, they cant see the wood for the trees. So to speak.

Destination: Sol system

Description: Feudal / agricultural

Classification: Mostly Harmless

Notes

Refuelling only possible with scoops. Single space station has no trading facilities and limited accomodation.

Valles Marineres is indeed the biggest crevice in the solar system, but the tiger-stripes at the south pole of Enceladus squirt geysers of water millions of miles into space. The Cassini probe took some great pictures (and continues to do so in the current series of close fly-bys.) Marineres is as dry as dry as a very dry bone.

Dr Porco's blog:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/cassini-aug08/

There's a... err... "technical" term for those. They're called 'sootikins'.

I hate to think about the girls you've known... gross.

"Milliken is one of NASA's top Martian water-formed gemstone brains, seemingly."?

Hang on. We've discovered a race of water-formed gemstone brains, from Mars? How come I wasn't told?

Not only that, but it sounds like more than one of them have somehow managed to get a job at NASA. I would have thought this should be front-page news, not chucked in an aside at the end of an article.

Am I the only one who read the headline and thought "Wow, google streetview Mars must be on its way"?

Yes? Ah well, guess the medication's wearing off!

It's probably Google mapping out the area for Streetview.

Is Mark Shuttleworth single ? He's certainly wealthy enough and think of the advertising coup.

Paris.. Coz she might want to build a hotel there in preparation.

Well since Mars and Australia both produce Opals - it stands to reason that Mars belongs to Australia.

The question now is, how soon can someone get up there and put an aussie flag on it for us?

I would love to be up there studying teh geology. when can i get my ticket (as long as i don't have to get probed by TSA)?

I thought I saw a rusted out old holden ute in the picture. So let me be the first to claim this new planet in the name of all Austra.... Ah can't be arsed hand us another tinnie will ya.

You cheeky bastards.

What next... we'll be sending the Earth's criminals to Mars, thus displacing its natural inhabitants (?!?!), a big mining boom will occur and eventually Mars will be left with the best intergalactic cricket team in the universe?

Two billion years ago, it feels just like yesterday, and we thought it was three. Stupid are we.

By the way, forget about mining for opals. Since it has such a resemblance to Australia, have anybody thought of using it as a penal colony?

The coat? Why brake a habit, I say.

> The question now is, how soon can someone get up there and put an aussie flag on it for us?

Didn't the USA put their flag on the moon? Does this mean the USA owns the moon? Given the strict laws around border / territorial waters, I doubt the UN would recognize any National claim on the Moon and Mars (or any other celestial body for that matter).

It's much more likely that Mars will be claimed by a Corporation (preferably not the Terran Hansiatic League).

They're called Starburst now... Tsk, Martians are so behind the times