back to article NASA Mars droid in ET life discovery shock

NASA boffins believe the space agency's solar-powered Martian droid rovers have found something interesting. They believe their discovery points to an increased likelihood of life on the Red Planet. "We're really excited about this," said NASA Mars-droid honcho Steve Squyres, according to the BBC. The search for ET goes on …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    No Alien Sexpots

    That would explain why Captain Kirk never went there. No shapely alien beauties to whom he could explain "this Earth thing called love".

    Still, I reckon we should keep looking, just in case.

  2. James
    Happy

    I knew it wasn't the Gobi desert...

    it was really the Jerboas they discovered on Mars:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7130484.stm

  3. graeme leggett Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    It could be hidden...

    I just hope the robot doesn't uncover any previously hidden green glowing cities. It could start a war.

    Dum De Dum De De De Dum.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Don't worry about the hidden glowing green city

    Don't worry about the hidden glowing green city. Conrad Black is in jail so he can't go to Mars and start the war.

    SIG.

  5. jeffrey
    Flame

    Hmm

    Damn those evasive Mysterons

  6. Alistair MacRae

    Cleaned the mars rover?

    I was just wondering if they scrubbed they mars probe with antibactieial stuff before landing it there. Otherwise they may have put bateria on mars themselves....

  7. 4a$$Monkey
    Thumb Up

    I for one welcome the coming of our Martian Overlords...

    ...You would be wise to pledge your allegiance now squishy Earthlings!

  8. Red Bren
    Boffin

    The BBC is both marsist and hemispherist

    Not only do they talk of <i>unearthing</i> stuff on mars, they also go on about the rovers having to hibernate for the martian winter!

    Amateurs!!!

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @Alistair MacRae

    Yes Mars probes are routinely sterilised before launch, usually by popping them into an autoclave for several days.

    However, this is a fairly recent procedure dating from Viking onwards; AFAIK none of the Mars landers launched by the Soviet Union were sterilised as the planet was thought to be completely barren. Although none of the Soviet probes returned any useful data from the surface, Mars 2, 3, 6 and 7 all landed on the planet.

    HTH.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    So they found some glass

    When they find oil or a suspicion of WMDs or a civilian nuclear research program then the US will have a good reason to go there and perminantly occupy it.

  11. Paul F
    Coat

    MARS NEEDS WOMEN!

    'nuff said.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    @ Paul F

    > MARS NEEDS WOMEN!

    Too true, have you seen the state of the place, rocks and debris all over the place.

    A good dust and a once round with the vac would not at all go a miss.

    The place is also already pink so at least it would not need decorating although it would probably end up with a nice rug, a floral pattened throw over the sofa, some scatter cushions and scented candles.

    I'll get my coat, hung up by the door - which is never where I bloody leave it

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sterilisation

    I'm fairly certain that even without an autoclave, months of traveling through extremely cold vacuum would be pretty lethal on most bacteria?

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Cleaning up

    Quote: "A good dust and a once round with the vac would not at all go a miss."

    Would that be done with ... wait for it ... the hard vacuum of space?

    Look, I'm really sorry. My coat's already on, just looking for my helmet.

  15. Luther Blissett

    Sand - as evidence of water

    I doubt the Aliens use this is an indicator of good surfing.

  16. brainwrong

    Silica

    Are they sure it's not the dessicant silica beads from the rover's packaging? Look nearby and they may find a small paper bag with "do not eat" written on it. :-)

    @Anonymous Coward: (is this really one person?)

    Some bacteria may survive, this one is tough as old boots:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinococcus_radiodurans

    Dunno what it would feed on if it got there, though.

  17. David
    Unhappy

    Men are from Mars

    And I always thought that men are from Mars and woman are from..................er..................oh dear............I`ll get me spacesuit.

  18. Damian Gabriel Moran
    Coat

    back to a Simpsons Quote

    Homer - "It's like you are from Venus"

    Marge - "and you are from Mars"

    Homer - "oh yeah sure, give me the one with all the monsters!"

  19. The Sceptic
    Joke

    To summarise

    Hypothetically there MIGHT be life on Mars which a machine found which SHOULD have held life at some point so there hope of finding something which MAY have been life at some point. Speculation about hypothetical arguments based on hope - outstanding.

    I reckon NASA are about to submit a new budget request.

  20. JP
    Happy

    Life on Mars...

    I'm sorry but unless I see the Golden Arches or a crushed Coke can...there simply is no life on Mars...

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