Comments on: Is there stuff to do on Mars? http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/ Learning to love science. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:40:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Beverly Spicer http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4742 Beverly Spicer Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:20:09 +0000 http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4742 For some reason, these posts and comments are cracking me up tonight. The no-oxygen thing just has to be a pretty swell point. Not to mention having to keep a heat source going to melt the ice to get some water. But wait...no fires because they take oxygen to burn. Jeez. Problems, problems, problems. On the other hand, hot plates are good. But......wonder what the shelf life of batteries would be on Mars, and how many you would have to take for a lifetime supply. Oh. Rechargeables. Of course. Problem solved. About the dry and dusty environment.....I'm not so sure. I just got back from Santa Fe, and it was pretty darn dry and dusty. If Mars is any more dry and dusty than Santa Fe, and if there's not one molecule of oxygen, then, well, Lindsay, you are totally right. It will be tough and totally boring. Who would want it unless escaping Earth by that time is the same thing as jumping from a burning building. On the other hand, if the people who are now pushing to go to Mars want to go, I think we should let them. For some reason, these posts and comments are cracking me up tonight. The no-oxygen thing just has to be a pretty swell point. Not to mention having to keep a heat source going to melt the ice to get some water. But wait…no fires because they take oxygen to burn. Jeez. Problems, problems, problems. On the other hand, hot plates are good. But……wonder what the shelf life of batteries would be on Mars, and how many you would have to take for a lifetime supply. Oh. Rechargeables. Of course. Problem solved. About the dry and dusty environment…..I’m not so sure. I just got back from Santa Fe, and it was pretty darn dry and dusty. If Mars is any more dry and dusty than Santa Fe, and if there’s not one molecule of oxygen, then, well, Lindsay, you are totally right. It will be tough and totally boring. Who would want it unless escaping Earth by that time is the same thing as jumping from a burning building. On the other hand, if the people who are now pushing to go to Mars want to go, I think we should let them.

]]> By: mike http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4740 mike Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:13:19 +0000 http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4740 In light of the fact that humanity here in America , and around the world , is in such need of basic life necessities , it is almost criminal in my opinion to spend billions of dollars to go to the moon , mars , and support a space station orbiting earth ....I love science , and I fully support space technology for satellites , or even the Hubble telescope , but this insane notion that we are going to one day live on mars is rediculous non-sense ....THERE IS NO OXYGEN ON MARS !!!!!! People have completely clouded reality with hollywood space fantasy .....This ain't Star Trek people , and if anyone thinks we are going to live on mars you are nuts ....We are having disasters right and left on this planet , and in our country ....I am sure the hurricane , tornado , and earthquake victims could make very good use of 50 billion dollars ....maybe we could even lower the price of gas somewhat if Washington would get their fiscal responsibilities in order ....it is time for ALL pork spending to stop , and that includes going to mars for a sack of rocks .....It would take a trillion dollars to supply 10 people on mars with life support .....We will NEVER live on mars ....EVER ......It is not worth it at all , and a huge waste of money that could be used right here on good old mother earth In light of the fact that humanity here in America , and around the world , is in such need of basic life necessities , it is almost criminal in my opinion to spend billions of dollars to go to the moon , mars , and support a space station orbiting earth ….I love science , and I fully support space technology for satellites , or even the Hubble telescope , but this insane notion that we are going to one day live on mars is rediculous non-sense ….THERE IS NO OXYGEN ON MARS !!!!!! People have completely clouded reality with hollywood space fantasy …..This ain’t Star Trek people , and if anyone thinks we are going to live on mars you are nuts ….We are having disasters right and left on this planet , and in our country ….I am sure the hurricane , tornado , and earthquake victims could make very good use of 50 billion dollars ….maybe we could even lower the price of gas somewhat if Washington would get their fiscal responsibilities in order ….it is time for ALL pork spending to stop , and that includes going to mars for a sack of rocks …..It would take a trillion dollars to supply 10 people on mars with life support …..We will NEVER live on mars ….EVER ……It is not worth it at all , and a huge waste of money that could be used right here on good old mother earth

]]> By: lindsay http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4672 lindsay Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:07:39 +0000 http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4672 It's true. My disinterest in space is something of a joke around here. I am in the Earth department of Earth & Sky. It’s true. My disinterest in space is something of a joke around here. I am in the Earth department of Earth & Sky.

]]> By: SCottw http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4671 SCottw Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:47:22 +0000 http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4671 "I’m not really a space enthusiast." And you write for Earth ANd Sky? “I’m not really a space enthusiast.” And you write for Earth ANd Sky?

]]> By: lindsay http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4644 lindsay Fri, 30 May 2008 15:02:28 +0000 http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4644 I still think the rover-road trips would get tiresome. But I guess the upside is that our rover emissions and crumpled up Coke cans wouldn't be hurting other life or anything more than our idea of a pristine planet. I still think the rover-road trips would get tiresome. But I guess the upside is that our rover emissions and crumpled up Coke cans wouldn’t be hurting other life or anything more than our idea of a pristine planet.

]]> By: deborahbyrd http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4610 deborahbyrd Tue, 27 May 2008 19:19:00 +0000 http://blogs.earthsky.org/lindsaypatterson/science/0527149/is-there-stuff-to-do-on-mars/#comment-4610 Lindsay, those of us who love science fiction can totally imagine being in a rover on Mars, wheeling around from place to place on the red desert sand, seeing pristine and alien rock faces, boulders, ravines and other landscapes! Then again ... when I think of that ... all those wheel marks left behind by our rovers ... the clutter of our human debris left on the martian surface ... it makes me a little sad. Maybe the question isn't whether Mars would be too boring for us, but instead whether we'd be too <em>human</em> for Mars. Lindsay, those of us who love science fiction can totally imagine being in a rover on Mars, wheeling around from place to place on the red desert sand, seeing pristine and alien rock faces, boulders, ravines and other landscapes!

Then again … when I think of that … all those wheel marks left behind by our rovers … the clutter of our human debris left on the martian surface … it makes me a little sad. Maybe the question isn’t whether Mars would be too boring for us, but instead whether we’d be too human for Mars.

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