APOD: Comanche Outcrop on Mars Indicates... (2010 Aug 30)

[APOD Robot]

Comanche Outcrop on Mars Indicates Hospitable Past

Explanation: Could life once have survived on Mars? Today, neither animal nor plant life from Earth could survive for very long on Mars because at least one key ingredient -- liquid water -- is essentially absent on the red planet's rusty surface. Although evidence from the martian rovers indicates that long ago Mars might once have had liquid water on its surface, that water might also have been too acidic for familiar life forms to thrive. Recently, however, a newly detailed analysis of an unusual outcropping of rock and soil chanced upon in 2005 by the robotic Spirit rover has uncovered a clue indicating that not all of Mars was always so acidic. The mound in question, dubbed Comanche Outcrop and visible near the top of the above image, appears to contain unusually high concentrations of elements such as magnesium iron carbonate. The above image is shown in colors exaggerated to highlight the differences in composition. Since these carbonates dissolve in acid, the persistence of these mounds indicates that water perhaps less acidic and more favorable for life might have once flowed across Mars. More detailed analyses and searches for other signs will surely continue.

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[owlice]

The surface of Mars!!!

: swoons and falls over :

[Chris Peterson]

The above image is shown in colors exaggerated to highlight the differences in composition...

Uh-oh. <g>

[bystander]

http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... 31&t=19674

[Ann]

The above image is shown in colors exaggerated to highlight the differences in composition...

Uh-oh. <g>

Hey, it's okay, Chris!

Ann

[b_gonullu@yahoo.com]

The image of Mars on today's APOD is interesting for three main reasons 1-the geological structure of Mars 2-the presence of a significant atmosphere 3-the general topography of the Martian datum. We are viewing the rock of another terrestrial world..!! This is absolutely beautiful. And it tells us a lot about the geology of the Earth. In fact we may now regard the Earth as the nearest terrestrial planet to man. We may also the regard the Earth as a celestial paradise given what we have learned about other worlds.

[orin stepanek]

Although evidence from the martian rovers indicates that long ago Mars might once have had liquid water on its surface, that water might also have been too acidic for familiar life forms to thrive.

I guess that leaves out a potato farm or cattle ranch on Mars.

[neufer]

A 19th century Comanche child

---

<<The Comanche looked upon their children as their most precious gift. Children were rarely punished. Sometimes, though, an older sister or other relative was called upon to discipline a child, or the parents arranged for a boogey man to scare the child. Occasionally, old people donned sheets and frightened disobedient boys and girls. Children were also told about Big Cannibal Owl (Pia Mupitsi) who lived in a cave on the south side of the Wichita Mountains and ate bad children at night.

As soon as she was old enough to walk, a girl followed her mother about the camp and played at the daily tasks of cooking and making clothing. She was also very close to her mother's sisters, who were called not aunt but pia, meaning mother. She was given a little deerskin doll, which she took with her everywhere. She learned to make all the clothing for the doll.

A boy identified not only with his father but with the bravest warriors in the band. He learned to ride a horse before he could walk. By the time he was four or five, he was expected to be able to skillfully handle a horse. When he was five or six, he was given a small bow and arrows. Often a boy was taught to ride and shoot by his grandfather, since his father and other warriors were on raids and hunts. His grandfather also taught him about his own boyhood and the history and legends of the Comanche. As the boy grew older, he joined the other boys to hunt birds. He eventually ranged farther from camp looking for better game to kill. Encouraged to be skillful hunters, boys learned the signs of the prairie as they learned to patiently and quietly stalk game. They became more self-reliant, yet, by playing together as a group, also formed the strong bonds and cooperative spirit that they would need when they hunted and raided. Boys were highly respected because they would become warriors and might die young in battle. As he approached manhood, a boy went on his first buffalo hunt. If he made a kill, his father honored him with a feast. Only after he had proven himself on a buffalo hunt was a young man allowed to go to war.>>

[rwhoyer]

Granted I would like to know everything I am capable of knowing about Mars (and everything else), but I am curious about why we would be even slightly interested in transporting “life” – and especially life that would sustain or enhance the survival of homo sapiens -- from Earth to other destinations in the Universe. Give the Universe a break ... our screwing up one quite lovely planet in the firmament is enough. Enough!

I trust you saw Randall Monroe’s xkcd this morning.

http://xkcd.com/786/

"I'm just worried that we'll all leave and you won't get to come along!"

[biddie67]

(( laughing )) I was going to comment on the apparent similarity of the terrain of Mars to areas here on Earth and get all sentimental about the possibilities for the future of humans living up there/over there/out there but but rwhoyer and his xkcd link stopped me short ....

[emc]

these rocks look like they've been scalped