They have teased and poked and finally managed to get some of Mars's ice into an instrument and melt it and evaporate it and YES - ICE! Water ice.
If the Science News links are unavailable try to search NASA.gov.
OK, so that doesn't seem like a big thrill to most of us after all we can just go to the fridge and we have ice so what's the big deal?
We (that's you and I and all of the scientists on earth) haven't been able to discover or even really imagine any living things that do not depend on water in some way so if there is water even in the phase of solid, cold, ice there may be (or may have been) something alive on Mars.
The alphageeks (and I use that team with great admiration) at Science News have been following this quite closely.
1. What did our favorite rocket scientists have to do to prove that there was water ice on Mars?
2. Earlier in July scientists saw evidence of ice. There was a solid, white substance that seemed to evaporate when exposed to heat. Why was this evidence NOT conclusive?
3. What other sources can you find about this amazing news story? (If online record links.)
4. Record a link to your favorite Mars photo(s) online.
be good,
Mr. Hazen
Posts
