Phoenix surface mission

[thor06]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Thought the 1,000 post on this thread should be devoted to a very good freind & worthy contributor to these boards, who due to being between houses (may have found somewhere suitable at long last & moving house is a real punishment for the boughs of hell, I know, I've done it myself several times, something I avoid like the plague), for quite some now, has not been able to join in much, Anthmartian. I think that we must not forget him & I post a few fantastic images from his site on here. I for one cannot wait for him to return here & for his material to be seen alongside rlb2, spin0 & Swampcat.Anthmartian image from Phoenix 1. &nbsp;Anthmartian image 2 from Phoenix. &nbsp;Anthmartian image 3 from Phoenix.Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br /> Posted by 3488</DIV></p><p>Hi Andrew,</p><p>&nbsp; Thank you for the photos, and tribute to Anthmartian.&nbsp; I wondered where he went...</p><p>&nbsp;I meant to get around to this earlier but.... meltdown etc..</p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Do I come over a an ASU employee??? If so I'm quite amazed. I'm not even American (I'm British) & besides, I'm not bright enough to clean their toilets, make their coffee or do up their shoelaces!!!!!!&nbsp; <em>Andrew Brown</em></font></strong></p><p>While I very much appreciate humility, in this world of ours, you sell yourself short.&nbsp; I have a confession;&nbsp; For a long time I thought you worked within the Mars program at some level. &nbsp; Your posts, photos and updates are better than the official web sites and easier to appreciate.&nbsp; My point:&nbsp; Mars rover page updates twice, three times a week.&nbsp; I could sift through sols for new interesting stuff, but I quickly learned it was just better to come here and look for your posts.&nbsp; On top of that, when I have time to look around at other threads, and find really cool things, there you are 3488 Andrew Brown with excellent photos and info.&nbsp; IMO if you wanted, this could be a real paying job.&nbsp; I see lots of potential in the idea "bring NASA to the people"&nbsp; You already do this in a friendly professional manner. &nbsp; </p><p>I debated whether to put that here or just in the email I'm going to send.&nbsp; I decided it was important to say it out loud.&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;I'll include more details as well as other things in the email.</p><p>Thanks for reaching out!</p><p>eric&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp; </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> <font color="#0000ff">                           www.watchnasatv.com</font></p><p>                          ONE PERCENT FOR NASA! </p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>You just expressed the bullying attitude I was talking about, some of it was similar to what you quoted before. You keep changing your colors all the time, just like you did in the last several posts. I can see why you got kicked out of other boards. I don&rsquo;t want to waist anymore of your time or mine so let&rsquo;s stop this silly little bating game of yours. Byyyyyyyyyy &nbsp; <br />Posted by solarflare</DIV></p><p>So asking someone to explain their statements = bullying.&nbsp; Thank you for your explanation.&nbsp; If you can't cope with been asked questions then perhaps you had better contribute in places when you need to explain yourself</p><p>For the record the only board I ever seem to have been blocked from, out of perhaps a dozen that I have contributed was not for asking people to explain themselves.</p><p>Jon<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Isn't it precisely the top few centimeters that was suppose to be globally uniform and strongly oxidizing?&nbsp; Wasn't the idea of going deeper to get past the uniform, oxidizing surface and look for more benign conditions below?&nbsp; How ironic that we would now be waiting to see if conditions are harsher somewhere deeper down.&nbsp; <br />Posted by centsworth_II</DIV></p><p>Indeed!&nbsp; If your suggestion is indeed the case it shows why we always need ground data from a diversity of sites to test hypotheses.</p><p>cheers</p><p>Jon</p><p>PS Because of external factors I will be here sporadically, if at all, for the next 4 weeks.&nbsp; No dramas, just work trips, conferences, and mars related stuff.&nbsp; See you all on the other side.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Great stuff Wayne, I agree. Like the mystery of the growning 'mould' on the Phoenix leg. I still its ice forming on the leg. That leg only gets sunlight at around midnight, rest of the time is in shadow. It will be cold. Any guesses, -100 C????????? Its likely cold enough for the accumulation of dry ice??????????????Lovely mystery though, but what ever it is, does not appear to affect Phoenix in any way.Sol 31 Phoenix Lander leg, with accumulations.&nbsp; ...&nbsp; <br /> Posted by 3488</DIV></p><p>Has anything further been said about this?&nbsp; It's "strange."&nbsp; I don't mean to say it's anything living.&nbsp; But, where did it come from?&nbsp; Exhaust vapors condensing and freezing after descent?&nbsp; Atmosphere?&nbsp; Detritus sticking to the legs after being kicked up?&nbsp; Since it doesn't appear to be anywhere else (ie heavily exposed surfaces) I can see how it would be ice.&nbsp; But, ice from what and of what? </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[efron_24]

<p>Well.. when Phoenix went down the heat of the engines must have melted (into gas) some of the ice below..</p><p>it must have clung to&nbsp;the metal where it now freezes over...</p><p>-=-&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Space.com mentions&nbsp;other special things.. they are scraping the ice.</p><p>Even if they would not find life.. I would not care. Just enjoy the beauty of an other world.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Has anything further been said about this?&nbsp; It's "strange."&nbsp; I don't mean to say it's anything living.&nbsp; But, where did it come from?&nbsp; Exhaust vapors condensing and freezing after descent?&nbsp; Atmosphere?&nbsp; Detritus sticking to the legs after being kicked up?&nbsp; Since it doesn't appear to be anywhere else (ie heavily exposed surfaces) I can see how it would be ice.&nbsp; But, ice from what and of what? <br />Posted by<strong> a_lost_packet</strong>_</DIV><br /><br />I notice that it both comes and goes.&nbsp; Look at the gif on the blog pag and there's at least 1 globule that goes from being a ... well, glob to something more like a oblong surface coating btw sol8 and sol31.&nbsp; Did Andrew say it was -100C in the shade ?&nbsp; If so it might be CO2 though with a patch of water ice exposed just below the leg I'd guess that ice would be more likely. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask not what your Forum Software can do do on you,</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask it to, please for the love of all that's Holy, <strong>STOP</strong> !</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I notice that it both comes and goes.&nbsp; Look at the gif on the blog pag and there's at least 1 globule that goes from being a ... well, glob to something more like a oblong surface coating btw sol8 and sol31.&nbsp; Did Andrew say it was -100C in the shade ?&nbsp; If so it might be CO2 though with a patch of water ice exposed just below the leg I'd guess that ice would be more likely. <br /> Posted by Mee_n_Mac</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2">Hi Mee_n_Mac. </font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">My guess is that in the shade like that, that leg is cold enough for CO2 ice. That leg gets only very little sunlight & the top of&nbsp; which is what, about a metre from the surface? We have known since Mars Pathfinder, that the 'warmth' from the surface is not conducted very well by the pathetically thin atmosphere.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2"> So yes, it will be very cold. It will be worth monitoring & perhaps colour images using the Robotic Arm Camera LEDs, as was already suggested for the closer lump of Holy Cow & has been done now on several occassions with the scoop with soil.</font></strong></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Sol 34 data starting to come in.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><strong><font size="2" color="#000000">Scoop & the TEGA, Sol 34. Oven 5 doors clearly still partially opened. </font></strong><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/9/12/b9b15a83-3fb1-4a08-ac9c-1d88c1ea5876.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><font size="2"><strong>Scoop over Phoenix deck. I know this same set up has been taken several times already over the course of the mission, but I think it is still a great shot.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2" color="#000080"><strong>Scoop over Phoenix deck Sol 34.</strong></font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/5/15/5544b30a-cbad-4193-8f1d-def2e9865723.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p><font color="#000080"><strong><font size="2">Sol 34, Trench & Shadow of SSI Mast, mid afternoon.</font></strong></font></p><p><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/3/11/13978bfd-4ed5-4520-bb1f-5e5c87f7a3d8.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi Mee_n_Mac. My guess is that in the shade like that, that leg is cold enough for CO2 ice. That leg gets only very little sunlight & the top of&nbsp; which is what, about a metre from the surface? We have known since Mars Pathfinder, that the 'warmth' from the surface is not conducted very well by the pathetically thin atmosphere. So yes, it will be very cold. It will be worth monitoring & perhaps colour images using the Robotic Arm Camera LEDs, as was already suggested for the closer lump of Holy Cow & has been done now on several occassions with the scoop with soil.Sol 34 data starting to come in.&nbsp;Scoop & the TEGA, Sol 34. Oven 5 doors clearly still partially opened. &nbsp;Andrew Brown.&nbsp; <br />Posted by 3488</DIV><br /><br />I'm puttin' my 200 quatloos on water ice. To me, it seems too warm and the atmosphere too thin for CO2 ice at this time. I suspect water is sublimating off of holy cow/snow queen, then condensing on the coldest nearby surface, which happens to be the shaded leg.</p><p>I'm not saying you're wrong, it's just my gut feeling....</p><p>MW.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[efron_24]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I'm puttin' my 200 quatloos on water ice. To me, it seems too warm and the atmosphere too thin for CO2 ice at this time. I suspect water is sublimating off of holy cow/snow queen, then condensing on the coldest nearby surface, which happens to be the shaded leg.I'm not saying you're wrong, it's just my gut feeling....MW. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV><br /><br />yep..&nbsp;like written above, I&nbsp;agree to this</p><p>the Mars version of icecles.. ("IJspegels")</p><p>On Earth they hang down.. on Mars they grow like this.. </p><p>that is what it has to be.. nothing mysterious about it</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[thor06]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>yep..&nbsp;like written above, I&nbsp;agree to thisthe Mars version of icecles.. ("IJspegels")On Earth they hang down.. on Mars they grow like this.. that is what it has to be.. nothing mysterious about it&nbsp; <br /> Posted by efron_24</DIV></p><p>Yes, nice deduction MW.&nbsp; Working on new project found these photos of permafrost.&nbsp; sorry if old...</p>http://www.uspermafrost.org/gallery/swalker/swalker_gallery.shtml <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> <font color="#0000ff">                           www.watchnasatv.com</font></p><p>                          ONE PERCENT FOR NASA! </p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

<p>hi all</p><p>&nbsp;Quite logical indeed if Holy Cow is water ice, that there is sublimation from Holy Cow, and hat "icycles" form on the legs. First after landing (as part of ice has sublimated very quickly due to the heat of the thrusters). Then more progressively as the ice plates sublimate slowly day after day. I would suspect that it occurs on this particular leg because (may be?) it's the coldest part of the S/C lying in the shadow (or the part with the "lowest maximum" value with temperatures never exceeding 170K). Beneath 170K, ice will accumulate (we have that on spacecrafts btw). Does anyone know whether that's indeed the coldest local part?</p><p>&nbsp;Btw, on Emily Lakdawalla's blog,&nbsp;there seems to be some real changes on Holy Cow too on the plate at the right.</p>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>?&nbsp;Btw, on Emily Lakdawalla's blog,&nbsp;there seems to be some real changes on Holy Cow too on the plate at the right. <br />Posted by h2ouniverse</DIV><br /><br />That could just as easily be the change in lighting angles and photographic exposure.</p><p>There's no definitive evideence anything has changed, IMO.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">I'm puttin' my 200 quatloos on water ice. To me, it seems too warm and the atmosphere too thin for CO2 ice at this time. I suspect water is sublimating off of holy cow/snow queen, then condensing on the coldest nearby surface, which happens to be the shaded leg.I'm not saying you're wrong, it's just my gut feeling....MW. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Cheers Wayne, I think that you are likely to be correct here. That leg though would still be colder than the others as this leg is in the shade of the lander throughout the 'day' & really only gets the midnight Sun, that produces virtually no warmth, being only 4 degrees up & only approx 44% as intense as on Earth.</strong></font>&nbsp;</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">That could just as easily be the change in lighting angles and photographic exposure.There's no definitive evideence anything has changed, IMO. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I think so too Wayne, IMO the shapes of Holy Cow do not appear to change. The lighting is slightly different owing to slightly differing times of the sol.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[abq_farside]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>That could just as easily be the change in lighting angles and photographic exposure.There's no definitive evideence anything has changed, IMO. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV><br /><br />When the ovens fire up they produce quite a bit of heat if I recall.&nbsp; Do the ovens ever vent when they are turned off? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">When the ovens fire up they produce quite a bit of heat if I recall.&nbsp; Do the ovens ever vent when they are turned off? <br /> Posted by abq_farside</font></DIV></p><p><strong><font size="2">It's true that the ovens get very hot, approx 1,003 C. But they are tiny, so although they get very hot, I'm not sure that they would release much heat into the surrounding area. IIRC the ovens are self contained once the sample is in & the inner door is shut.</font></strong></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Dunno when the Sol 35 data is expected to start coming in. It's getting late here.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[KzooKidd]

<div>I am not sure if you've read this article.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080627-mars-life-question.html</div><div>&nbsp;<br /></div><div>I looked and didn't see anyone else post a link to this, so I figured that I would. &nbsp;This is a very interesting article that brings up a few important points:</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>1) &nbsp;Phoenix is not designed to tell us if there is life on Mars, it will only tell us if the building blocks for life as we know it can exist on Mars. &nbsp;Maybe we can get lucky though and find something interesting under the microscope.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>2) &nbsp;We may not find life as we know it on Mars...but we may find life as we could never imagine on Mars. &nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Personally, I am hoping that we uncover a life form completely different than we could ever image (i.e. a life form not water and carbon based). &nbsp;However, as well all now know Mars seems to be much like Earth from the preliminary tests accomplished by Phoenix.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>In your opinion, what other elements, compounds, etc. would be good building blocks for life?&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3"><strong>Kzoo Kidd</strong></font> </div>

 

[efron_24]

<p>In a way it might indeed be very different than we know..</p><p>but even if we do not find it.. I hope you all enjoy the fantastic images of Phoenix and Opportunity (have you seen the cliff !!!) as much as I do..</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>breathtaking</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bearack]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>In a way it might indeed be very different than we know..but even if we do not find it.. I hope you all enjoy the fantastic images of Phoenix and Opportunity (have you seen the cliff !!!) as much as I do..&nbsp;breathtaking <br />Posted by efron_24</DIV><br /><br />I am of the opinion that even if an alien form of life is discovered, it might look totally foreign to us, but it will have nearly identical DNA that is found on Earth.&nbsp; I think any such bacterium found will be very similar also in looks to bacterium found on Earth.</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><br /><img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>

 

[efron_24]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I am of the opinion that even if an alien form of life is discovered, it might look totally foreign to us, but it will have nearly identical DNA that is found on Earth.&nbsp; I think any such bacterium found will be very similar also in looks to bacterium found on Earth.&nbsp; <br />Posted by bearack</DIV><br /><br />would that mean you think life has one origin.. in the solar system</p><p>or even outside the solar system</p><p>&nbsp;sometimes I wonder.. if a big bang was 15.000.000.000 years ago</p><p>and the solar system is only a little over 5.000.000.000 how many planets and stars are gone</p><p>how many like us have had internet and searched space for others.</p><p>&nbsp;how many flags have been planted on moons and being vaporized by dying stars</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bearack]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>would that mean you think life has one origin.. in the solar systemor even outside the solar system&nbsp;sometimes I wonder.. if a big bang was 15.000.000.000 years agoand the solar system is only a little over 5.000.000.000 how many planets and stars are gonehow many like us have had internet and searched space for others.&nbsp;how many flags have been planted on moons and being vaporized by dying stars <br />Posted by efron_24</DIV><br /><br />What prompts my thought pattern is the make up of each solar system.&nbsp; From what we can identify, it seems each planet has a similar makeup of what our solar system has.&nbsp; It seems that if that is the case, how could DNA be unique.&nbsp; I would suspect it would have a similar composition regardless what part of the galaxy you reside in.&nbsp; Of course, just my theory with absolutely nothing to substantiate my theory.&nbsp; It just seems practical to me.</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><br /><img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>What prompts my thought pattern is the make up of each solar system.&nbsp; From what we can identify, it seems each planet has a similar makeup of what our solar system has.&nbsp; It seems that if that is the case, how could DNA be unique.&nbsp; I would suspect it would have a similar composition regardless what part of the galaxy you reside in.&nbsp; Of course, just my theory with absolutely nothing to substantiate my theory.&nbsp; It just seems practical to me.&nbsp; <br />Posted by bearack</DIV><br /><br />I don't think what you are saying is true, perhaps it's not what you meant to say.</p><p>In a sense all stellar systems are similar, but then again, there are only so many elements, and the most common in the Universe&nbsp;is Hydrogen. So large planets are made of Hydrogen, with some rocky material where stardust has been reprocessed.</p><p>Life as we know it (and for good reason most likely) is based on carbon.</p><p>However DNA is not the only way to transmit blueprints; in fact it seems likely that RNA was first here on earth.</p><p>Amino acids, which are part of the constituants of both DNA and RNA seem to be relatively common, created by radiation interacting with interstallar dust.</p><p>I don't think there's any reason to assume DNA is the most likely, it's just what worked here.</p><p>Carbon, on the other hand seems to be real important. </p><p>Silicon is another possibility, but is much less energetically efficient.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[jdip0]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>would that mean you think life has one origin.. in the solar systemor even outside the solar system&nbsp;sometimes I wonder.. if a big bang was 15.000.000.000 years agoand the solar system is only a little over 5.000.000.000 how many planets and stars are gonehow many like us have had internet and searched space for others.&nbsp;how many flags have been planted on moons and being vaporized by dying stars <br /> Posted by efron_24</DIV><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I have spent way to many hours pondering over the universe/space&nbsp; ...&nbsp; one cold clear winter night sitting in my hot tub gazing into the stars something occured to me.&nbsp; " I' and YOU are the universe trying to understand itself ... the meaning of life is me and you. Not to many people care much obout space or the MARS missions ... so it's nice to find people who wonder what it's all about. IMHO Mars was a wonderful world just like ours that was taken out by a big rock and is on it's way to recovering ... just needs a few smaller life giving comets to crash into it.&nbsp; I HOPE&nbsp; life is found in my time .. < in space>&nbsp; if not perhaps my children will experience the truth.</p>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p>BTW folks, we're drifting pretty far away from the purpose of this thread, which is to discuss the Phoenix surface mission results. </p><p>If we wish to discuss non carbon forms of life, or life in the Universe, a new or existing thread in Space Science and Astronomy, or Ask the Astronomer might be a better place. Soon we will have more news from Phonix, and that's what this thread is for...</p><p>Wayne</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[efron_24]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>BTW folks, we're drifting pretty far away from the purpose of this thread, which is to discuss the Phoenix surface mission results. If we wish to discuss non carbon forms of life, or life in the Universe, a new or existing thread in Space Science and Astronomy, or Ask the Astronomer might be a better place. Soon we will have more news from Phonix, and that's what this thread is for...Wayne <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;True.. but like in every conversation.. a little side walk is also fun..</p><p>Us exploring Mars with Phoenix is part of an ongoing search for answers that must be as old as the universe..</p><p>that's what i was saying :d</p><p>but yes.. fresh news from Mars would be welcome</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>