Spaceflight Now, BBC, etc: It’s official. Mars is probably a briny place.
At the much heralded session on Mars and its possible liquid brine during the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference near Houston this week (see previous post), researchers told reporters still on the story that it’s still likely perchlorate salts are keeping part of Mar’s soil wet. Not frozen. Wet. At SpaceFlight Now Craig Covault runs it under a whip-saw hed, “Mars water story spawns kudos and controversy.” Best part is the story’s matter-of-fact explanation that this is a mere hypothesis with a long way down the peer review road before it might meet general acceptance or rejection. The formal presentations of results were in a standing-room-only hall jammed with 500 people. (Tip to newby science reporters or any kind of reporter: If the back of the hall is full of people standing up, work your way boldly to the very front row. Unless things were severely jammed even before the meeting started there are usually a few seats there. Must be old memories of being called upon by teachers at a bad time…). Covault provides deep detail in his account.
Other stories:
- BBC – Paul Rincon : Briny pools ‘may exist on Mars” ; Another piece with extensive detail beyond what advance stories suggested, including description how the perchlorates would affect chances for life and for finding its traces ;
- Sky and Telescope – Kelly Beatty : (Drops of) Water on Mars! ;
