NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
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Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#2"NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has measured a tenfold spike in methane, an organic chemical, in the atmosphere around it and detected other organic molecules in a rock-powder sample collected by the robotic laboratory's drill."
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#3For those eager to read ahead, they are very, very careful in this article not to imply in any way that this is definitely from any sort of living sources.
> Organic molecules, which contain carbon and usually hydrogen, are chemical building blocks of life, although they can exist without the presence of life. Curiosity's findings from analyzing samples of atmosphere and rock powder do not reveal whether Mars has ever harbored living microbes, but the findings do shed light on a chemically active modern Mars and on favorable conditions for life on ancient Mars.
Shame. I for one am looking forward to reading about actual life on Mars within my lifetime. Hopefully active life. We shall see.
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#4It could also be a case of severe alien flatulence.
Sorry, I could not resist...
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#5For those eager to read ahead, they are very, very careful in this article not to imply in any way that this is definitely from any sort of living sources. > Organic molecules, which contain carbon and usually hydrogen, are chemical building blocks of life, although they can exist without the presence of life. Curiosity's findings from analyzing samples of atmosphere and rock powder do not reveal whether Mars has eve…
> Shame
Poor word choice. There's no shame in being careful about the science and trying to represent it carefully in your press releases.
Many non-science types do not know that organic molecules can exist without life and will already be jumping to conclusions.
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#6Here's a fun exercise in speculation: How long does HN think it will be between confirming life (e.g. bacteria), confirming life (e.g. mammals / bugs), and confirming intelligent life?
(Never is an an acceptable answer for all 3, but please state why you hold your position)
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#7For those eager to read ahead, they are very, very careful in this article not to imply in any way that this is definitely from any sort of living sources. > Organic molecules, which contain carbon and usually hydrogen, are chemical building blocks of life, although they can exist without the presence of life. Curiosity's findings from analyzing samples of atmosphere and rock powder do not reveal whether Mars has eve…
> Shame Poor word choice. There's no shame in being careful about the science and trying to represent it carefully in your press releases. Many non-science types do not know that organic molecules can exist without life and will already be jumping to conclusions.
I believe OP shares your sentiments, and that you mistake the usage here.
'Shame' as used here is shorthand for 'that's a shame,' which used colloquially to express disappointment colored with sympathy and understanding, does not imply that any of the nominal subjects is being criticized.
Source: I'm a native English speaker.
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#8Here's a fun exercise in speculation: How long does HN think it will be between confirming life (e.g. bacteria), confirming life (e.g. mammals / bugs), and confirming intelligent life? (Never is an an acceptable answer for all 3, but please state why you hold your position)
Another question is in which order this would happen - if there is no other life in the solar system it might very well happen that we find (signs of) intelligent life before simple life.
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#9It could also be a case of severe alien flatulence. Sorry, I could not resist...
I think you were looking for this: http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/2phv82/nasa_rover_f...
Re: NASA Rover Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Shame Poor word choice. There's no shame in being careful about the science and trying to represent it carefully in your press releases. Many non-science types do not know that organic molecules can exist without life and will already be jumping to conclusions.
I believe OP shares your sentiments, and that you mistake the usage here. 'Shame' as used here is shorthand for 'that's a shame,' which used colloquially to express disappointment colored with sympathy and understanding, does not imply that any of the nominal subjects is being criticized. Source: I'm a native English speaker.
I believe this is not the case in the US, at least in my experience. In South Africa people say "shame" to express pity for someone else (or even just when something is adorable) but when I say it hear I get weird looks :)