25 replies to this topic

[spud the mackem]

Hiya Troublehalf, You certainly have raised some valid points in your post, I guess its a "need to know" situation again, and if you are not on the "power" ladder you dont need know,  like most of us have no idea what is going on behind closed doors, so this Scientist spoke up when he should have kept mute, I wonder if he is still in the job or has been removed to hall Janitor. We shall never know. Best Wishes Friend.

[bison]

Troublehalf; Very sorry to hear about about all your health difficulties.   I, too, was puzzled by Dr. Grotzinger's sensational-seeming remarks about an historic discovery on Mars, and the subsequent apparent pull back. I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt in all this, now assuming that he is sincere in admitting that he simply got carried away by the moment, when he learned that Curiosity was working as they'd hoped. Perhaps he was also thinking ahead to the historic discoveries he hoped the rover could make. One of his colleagues spoke in a similar vein, saying that Curiosity would not disappoint, and Mars would not disappoint.   Dr. Grotzinger was also probably still somewhat amazed that everything had gone so well in delivering a much more complex and capable probe than ever before to the Red Planet, including that remarkable 'sky crane' maneuver.
I seem to vaguely recall the incident of a NASA representative going to the White House, presumably in re Curiosity. Perhaps all the talk of an historic discovery captured Mr. Obama's interest, and he asked to be briefed on the matter. If I were in his place, I'd welcome a brief break from the usual political troubles. I remember how Mr. Clinton was interested in, and even spoke in public about, the discovery, some years back, that there seemed to be fossil bacteria in a meteorite believed to have originated on Mars.
The organic molecules that Curiosity turned up may end up being a much bigger story than it now appears. Some of these were relatively simple chloromethanes, but at least one was somewhat puzzling, and considerably more complex. I haven't heard that they have managed to classify it yet. It may be a chain-like molecule, containing a good deal of carbon; perhaps more than could likely be accounted for by contamination from Earth. Chlorobutane was suspected. This has four carbon atoms at its center, 8 hydrogen atoms, and one chlorine atom, and one bromine atom, attached around the edges. Could this be a hint of Martian biology? Just maybe. The more complex a molecule, the more likely it has something to do with life. If they can confirm the existence of the same or similar material when they drill into solid rock, as they are now poised to do, Earthly contamination will  be virtually ruled out, I'm told.

Edited by bison, 05 January 2013 - 07:55 PM.

[bison]

spud the mackem, on 05 January 2013 - 07:08 PM, said:

Hiya Troublehalf, You certainly have raised some valid points in your post, I guess its a "need to know" situation again, and if you are not on the "power" ladder you dont need know,  like most of us have no idea what is going on behind closed doors, so this Scientist spoke up when he should have kept mute, I wonder if he is still in the job or has been removed to hall Janitor. We shall never know. Best Wishes Friend.

   'this Scientist' you mention is Dr. John Grotzinger. He is still in his position as head of the Curiosity rover science team. He's just released a statement that Curiosity is expected to begin drilling into a rock in order to get better specimens to analyze, next week.

[Troublehalf]

Thank you guys for reading my post about my "conspiracy". I suppose if he was removed from his post, people would be even more curious, start asking questions "Why did he get fired?" or whatever.


Perhaps Obama was briefed on the possibility they MIGHT find bacterial life with the rover soon. It would make sense. Let us say that the organic compound discovery was legit and NOT contamination, the next experiments would go look for other interesting things. Remember folks, this machine is 100% dedicated, with state-of-the-art equipment for specifically testing for organic material, they won't be using it to search for stuff which won't get the most out of the rover. So, they drill the rock, find something organic or life or something and that way they can make sure 1. Obama is informed of the event (because of the original visit about the possibility) 2. The media can be controlled 3. A black out enforced on the NASA employees. That way, they can keep any discovery of life silent and can either release it later or never.


My original long post, I forgot to mention that the machine is designed specifically to find life.... A bit strange all of those things happened, about a mission which was launched in the attempt to find life or at least the possibility of it keeping life or whatever.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Troublehalf, you are REALLY taking this thread off topic. It is not about Curiosity or Conspiracy theories, it is about the potential that Earth like planets will be found this year.

This site has a Conspiracies & Secret Societies forum and a Extraterrestrial Life & The UFO Phenomenon forum. Either of those places would be more appropriate to continue your discussion than this thread.

Thank you

[minera]

so what exactly is the true motive for finding an earth like planet? colonize? exploit it's natural resources? invade it?
Seems ridiculous to be even looking for life on other planets if they are so adamant there are no such things as alien life forms.

[Merc14]

minera, on 09 January 2013 - 04:40 AM, said:

so what exactly is the true motive for finding an earth like planet? colonize? exploit it's natural resources? invade it?
Seems ridiculous to be even looking for life on other planets if they are so adamant there are no such things as alien life forms.

What do you think?

[minera]

Merc14, on 09 January 2013 - 04:43 AM, said:

What do you think?

most likely all of the above mentioned.

[Merc14]

minera, on 09 January 2013 - 04:50 AM, said:

most likely all of the above mentioned.

Who is adamant that there are no "alien" life forms.  It is pretty much a consensus view that life exists elsewhere, probably even in our own solar system, so I am not sure who you are referencing with that statement.  Intelligent life existing is a bigger question but only flat earthers rule it out completely.  As far as why look it is what we do as an intelligent species and to survive we need to explore.

[minera]

there may be a consensus but so far they have not found and proof to prove the concensus. I personally believe there are many life forms out there and many more intelligent than the ones on this planet. In fact I believe they found us before we found them.

[Merc14]

minera, on 09 January 2013 - 05:20 AM, said:

there may be a consensus but so far they have not found and proof to prove the concensus. I personally believe there are many life forms out there and many more intelligent than the ones on this planet. In fact I believe they found us before we found them.

You can believe what you want but go watch this http://solarsystem.n...cfm?Vid_ID=1642 that cost $2.5B to look for life.  I got to meet these folks with my 6 year old at the time on the day before the landing at the VASC and they were awesome.  To think we aren't risking things to look for life and aren't exploring when we did something like this landing at such a huge risk of loss of billions of dollars and that, that little vehicle is running at 100% is ridiculous.  Curiosity is a huge achievement and a major step forward and she will have many offspring.