back to article Curiosity sings 'Happy Birthday' to itself on Martian anniversary

In a remote Martian crater over 200 million miles from Earth, NASA's Curiosity rover sung "Happy Birthday" to itself using instruments in the rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) chemistry laboratory. The SAM unit uses a gas chromatograph, quadrupole mass spectrometer, and tunable laser spectrometer to analyze the soil and …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. LaeMing

    Don't tell the RIAA!

    Don't tell the RIAA that there is no breathable atmosphere on Mars.

    If we are lucky they will send a bunch of their lawyers out there ASAP!

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Don't tell the RIAA!

      Does the Record Industry Association of America cover Mars?

      1. dorsetknob
        Devil

        Re: Don't tell the RIAA!

        Its an American Mafia organization they believe they have the right to sue you even if your Satan and live in hell

        or God in Heaven

        Somewhere in America every song and Hymn in the bible is copy right protected

        wait till they start sueing all those churches worldwide for copyright infringment

      2. Vociferous

        Re: Don't tell the RIAA!

        They consider themselves to cover the entire world, I'm pretty sure they'd love to have a crack at the entire universe.

  2. David Webb
    Unhappy

    Aww

    I can imagine it now, it's just like that scene from Borderlands 2 where the robot invites everyone to his birthday party and no one shows up so it's sitting there, singing happy birthday all on it's own, millions of miles away from anyone. Brings a tear to my eye.

    1. Red Bren
      Pint

      Re: Aww

      I tried to explain this poignant moment to my wife and she laughed! Oh well, Happy Birthday Curiosity!

      1. Geoff Campbell Silver badge

        Re: @Red

        Yeah, just tried the same with my 13 year old daughter. She kind of got it, but didn't understand why I was so emotional about the whole thing.

        Which is, I guess, a good thing. It's become commonplace. I'll settle for that.

        GJC

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Naturally natural.

    So this thing can blow a tune by itself....

  4. Oengus
    Facepalm

    But Curiosity is on Mars

    This is the one earth year anniversary of the landing.

    Birthdays are the celebration of the anniversary of our arrival, should Curiosity not have to wait until it has been on Mars for 1 Martian year before it can celebrate its birthday?

    1. Ragarath
      Alien

      Re: But Curiosity is on Mars

      We define time for us. We have deemed 1 year to be the average solar year of Earth. Why would a creation of ours celebrate its birthday in Martian years?

      I am sure if they do find life on Mars or, previous life, they will understand! Well they would if they have a concept such as time or can even do more than just exist.

  5. gnufrontier

    Machines are made not born.

    I find the whole notion lame.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      How to fail a turing test

      Congratulations - in a stunningly ironic comparison, Curiosity has managed to display more humanity than you.

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Re: How to fail a turing test

        Except this is a year since it landed. How is that a birthday any more than me celebrating the day I emigrated to America my birthday? It's an anniversary not a birthday.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: How to fail a turing test

          The trick is not to get hung up on the organics. All will become clear if you read Ragarath's (below) excellent analogy.

    2. Ragarath

      Re: Machines are made not born.

      Machines are made not born.

      So are you! You are just an organic machine. You are made, then you are born when you leave your protective incubator (this is your Mum in case you are wondering.)

      Curiosity was made by us (well not me but humans you know), then born onto Mars as it left its protective incubator.

  6. Herby

    Voyager 1 & 2 had records

    With Johnny B. Goode on them. Sorry, no Elvis (they wanted to but couldn't get the rights).

    Music goes a long way!

    1. Richard 12 Silver badge

      Nobody has played them yet though.

      I wonder if anybody ever will?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Alien

    Happy Birthday, Curiousity!!

    Well, more "one year anniversary on Mars", but close enough.

    Thanks for the science!

  8. JDX Gold badge

    I was hoping they'd have recorded the song being played on Mars and beamed that back rather than played the tune in the lab. There's enough atmosphere to hear sound, right?

    1. Ragarath

      This...

      With Curiosity recording a selfie, that is what I was hoping for when watching.

  9. Vociferous

    Awwww... how sad is it that the little tyke sang its own birthday song, all alone. No wonder it's in minor key.

    I'd suggest this next time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHJOz_y9rZE

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like