Question Microscopes on Mars are contraband?

[Geomartian]

In the search for Martian life what was the most powerful microscope ever sent to the Martian surface?

Martian road kill in Curiosity’s tracks? NASA says it is looking for life on Mars (but) only as long as that life lived billions and billions of years ago.

 

[sam85geo]

Contraband, have humans got contraband; it's called junk. No matter where we go we leave "junk" of various kinds. Sadly, Mars will be no exception. We plan to have humans venture to Mars, a lifeless planet, with a depleted atmosphere, lower gravity and what can only be considered as "break bone" variations in temperature. Such begs the question: Why? Aren't the data from the current set Mars robot survey vehicles enough to indicate that we should "find another" planet? (or as currently in vogue "Just stay home).

 

[Geomartian]

Answer from space.stackexchange.com

https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/39525/why-is-there-no-microscope-on-the-mars-2020-rover

A microscope with a magnification of 100 or more has a very small depth of field requiring very flat surfaces to get a sharp image. Geological samples on Earth require a lot of preparation (cutting, grinding, polishing, etching) before imaging under a microscope. To view samples by transmitted light you need to cut and polish samples so thin (about 30 micrometres) to be transparent. There is no rover capable of sample preparation for microscopy.

This answer is bogus. There is a technique called focus stacking where the camera takes a series of pictures at different focal distances (physically stepping the camera) and only keeps those pixels which are in focus. All the in-focus pixels are combined to form a single picture. The functional depth of field can be very high even at high magnifications. I have a 10 megapixel hand held camera which does this automatically at 7X for rock closeups.

NASA does not want a microscope on Mars since the grain size of sediments would indicate water flowing on Mars as little as 300 million years ago. Worse still for NASA’s fraudulent history of Mars a microscope might indicate that life is still there now.

An interstellar asteroid resurfaced the northern part of Mars with lava long after Mars had solidified. Therefore, an interstellar asteroid can directly cause massive volcanism.

 

[sam85geo]

I think that NASA has a "full plate" of budgetary worry now, and for at least the next 10 years. Without international effort and cooperation, we humans will never know the details of the planetary development of Mars. Such is important for basic science. However, this begs the question : Is it worth the cost? Or is it just governmental/privately funded basic research with eventual commercial applications? Note: Given the worrisome problems here on Earth with resource use/availability, the loss of biodiversity, and human population growth, the concept of the Moon and Mars as "stepping stones" to the colonization of other worlds, has the "ring " of headache remedy advertisement. Mea Culpas for my cynicism; I would relish being proven a curmudgeon.

 

[Geomartian]

Mars did not lose its water and atmosphere billions of years ago. It lost it about 200 million years ago when an interstellar asteroid nearly shattered Mars.

Interstellar asteroids seeded terrestrial black shales with toxic metals laying the groundwork for creating oil. Houston is the oil geology capitol of the world. Houston/NASA buried the existence of interstellar asteroids to make money.

The Deccan and Siberian lava fields and the subsequent extinctions were caused by interstellar asteroid impacts. Interstellar asteroid impacts are a major geological process which are totally missing from the scientific literature.

Microscopes on Mars would just create more problems for Houston/NASA by revealing another loose thread in their tapestry of lies.

 

[Geomartian]

Multiple interstellar impacts have already reset human civilization at both local and planetary levels.

The green zombie argument that we should stay on Earth and solve its problems first is totally naïve.

We go into space and create a defensive infrastructure or WE DIE.

Unless you like a hunter-gatherer level of civilization?

 

[sam85geo]

I agree with the previous article with these exceptions: the destiny of H. Sapiens on Earth is extinction whether from interstellar impacts, or self-destruction or collision with Andromeda, or the Sun's increased energy output over time; we have to do both addressing the Earth's problems, especially population growth , and exploring our solar system and local group. That would give us the best chance to actually become an extra terrestrial as a species. Our species' future will be determined by our DNA, Nature and the Environment, and random chance. It's an exhilarating "ride" made increasingly more so by our knowledge and awareness. Hang on folks.

 

[Catastrophe]

In the search for Martian life what was the most powerful microscope ever sent to the Martian surface?

Martian road kill in Curiosity’s tracks? NASA says it is looking for life on Mars (but) only as long as that life lived billions and billions of years ago.

"In the search for Martian life what was the most powerful microscope ever sent to the Martian surface? "
You have a valid point. Whilst it is easy to detect "intelligent" life by looking for messages in "Morse Code" (id est an attempt to communicate intelligent pattern) it is impossible (IMMHO) to detect the presence of the most fundamental elementary life forms.
OK, you can argue about the presence of various gases in the atmosphere, but first apply your arguments to Earth 4.x billion years ago.
Cat