8/20-8/26: Life on Mars: Who Cares?

Last week, NASA announced that a meteorite from Mars evidences primitive life forms. We're not the only living planet, which should, perhaps, astound us more than man walking on the moon. But a month from now, who will remember where they were when they heard about life on Mars? Are we complacent; is it an insignificant fact; do we not believe NASA? Or is science just not as exciting as it used to be?

Here's what Tripod members had to say:

LukasBradley: I was in my car, driving to work, listening to National Public Radio. I took the news very seriously. I think the main reason that no one took the news as groundbreaking is that it is inconclusive. Certainly, the evidence points in a life direction, but there are also, while inprobable, non-life explanations. When JFK was shot, it was groundbreaking because it was definite. This isn't as definite, so it isn't as groundbreaking.

formicacid: I met a junior at U of M who didn't know that it takes a year for the earth to revolve around the sun. Then a college student in Nevada was fascinated that I read books -- even when I'm not in class! My former boss didn't know which planet number we are from the sun. These people are not rare occurences. Without a basic understanding of scientific principles, how can people get excited over the greatest discovery ever made? I recently mentioned the discovery of life on Mars to a friend of mine. She replied, "Mars? We've walked there, right?" If only she had been joking...

pmgaddis: Possibly -- life could be anywhere -- but in what form?

Mur: I wasn't surprised simply because I've firmly belived that there *had* to be life somewhere else. Perhaps if had been LIFE and not remnants of life we would be more excited. Something I am wondering -- what are the religious groups saying about this? I'll remember where I was, because I was driving a friend around and he started yelling LIFE ON MARS! LIFE ON MARS! and was astonished that I hadn't heard.

hcm: This is yet another instance of someone pronouncing something firm, scientific, and fabulous when, in fact, there's not really a lot of evidence that really says "there's life on Mars." It's just like those studies which are frequently promoted about foods that are and aren't good for you: they're promoted as the final word, but then you learn they're not.

CynthiaK: If the possibility of life on Mars excites and stimulates the public to educate themselves as to the scientific nature of our universe, I say Hurrah! And if in their explorations, they are also enthralled by the infinite variety of life wherever it occurs, I say Bravo! On the other hand, if it stimulates their paranoia or titillates their sense of the necrotic absurb, I say tune in to The X-Files and enjoy some good fiction.

noahlamy: I was totally pumped by the news. But I can see why a lot of people might feel pretty ho-hum about the whole thing. The NASA guys went out of their way to say the evidence was inconclusive. And not only are we not talking about little green men (aka intelligent life) but whatever it was it died 3 and a half billion years ago. So why am I pumped? First of all I don't think these NASA guys would go on national TV to make asses of themselves. They are convinced this is the real deal. And secondly and most important is the fact that this life evolved on Mars *at the same time live evolved on Earth*, at a time when *conditions on Mars were very similar to conditions on Earth*. The only real difference in conditions between the two planets was probably only that Mars may have been a little cooler and Mars definitely had (has) less gravity. The latter condition is why Mars lost its atmosphere and life did not survive. But the point is that the evidence suggests that wherever a certain set of conditions exist life will evolve as a natural part of planetary development. Now if there is one thing that distinguishes our Sun it is that *the Sun is unremarkable in every respect* at least as far as we can tell. This gives us every reason to be optimistic that most stars like the Sun may also have planetary systems and that many of those systems may contain "M class" planets on which conditions may be or may have been very similar to conditions that exist(ed) in our own Solar system. Life is everywhere! That's something to get pumped about. Yeah, I know, odds are we won't encounter another intelligent species face to face in a hundred thousand years. But who knows, maybe we can get them some kind of dotcom on the Internet.

ediger: I think the discovery of the possibility of life on Mars is very significant. If even a primitive form can evolve on such an unforgiving planet as Mars surely it could evolve somewhere else in the universe. Think about it, millions of stars in our galaxy alone are in the same class as our own sun. Then think of the millions of galaxies in the universe. You don't have to be a student of statistics to see that the possibility of intelligent life somewhere else is quite high. Not to mention how arrogant it is of us as a species to assume that we are the only ones here. However, let us consider this: What if we are the only intelligent living beings in the entire universe. Does anyone realize how special that would make us? Then let us consider the implications of our own self destruction ie...by our deadly weapons of global destruction or by our own neglect of the environment. Perhaps we as a species need to believe in other life in the universe to help lessen the burden of responsibility we have to our planet and its inhabitants.

thought: I think it is important to know as much as we can about the planets around us, especially Mars because earth will soon reach its carrying capacity and people will need somewhere to go...also...think of the possibilities...have you ever seen the movie "Total Recall"? Minerals, tourism, new scientific discoveries? the opportunity to experiment in a new environment...

Lolina: I think that this news is fascinating, but tiny, extinct bacteria on Mars are not going to change my life, or even the way I look at the universe. The odds that life didn't exist anywhere but earth were so astronomically slim anyway that this news didn't really surprise me. Intelligent life would be a totally different story, and a much more compelling one at that.

sloopy: 'Life on Mars' - OK, so what? Ofcourse there is life elsewhere in the universe! So I was reasonably excited - until we were told that the evidence is 'inconclusive'. However, I am watching the developments with great interest. BTW - if they want someone to go check out the Martians - I'm volunteering ;-)

alladins: Life on mars should not surprise anyone because all the planets in this galaxy support life form in some degree or other. there are other galaxies also that are similar to ours. the essential part of any life form is the spirit and not the body as some may think, because after the body perishes the spirit lives on forever. we on earth need to pay closer attention to what is going on around us especially to the findings of modern science. the trips to the moon could have been trips to mars. what earthlings call primitive is the technology that built structures like the great pyramid in situated in what is presently named the nubian desert. there is much more to say but time is limited.

grok: I think that the main reason that so many people were "ho-hum" about it is because people have become ignorant of the differences between fiction and reality.... People that were raised on Star Trek, Star Wars, and other fictions just don't realize the significance that might be confirmed on another planet. (Most of the other folks here made other points I agree with, so won't repeat)

Red_Wizard: Life on Mars....Pyrimids not built by Egyptians. These scientists are just looking for an excuse for money, which is wasted. This money should be put towards making our lifes healthier. Not worrying about where other life is. If there is life out there, so what we can't get there. Now there is a possible microrganism on one of Jupiters Moons. It's not going make things change around here, is it.

rrunner: One last note-how did the meteorite collect the lifeforms while orbiting Mars? :)

slepp: I see it all quite simply. Life on mars(or dead life??) is an interesting thing, but I still think it's way to early for them to be publicizing it like mad, etc, etc, etc. If they don't know there IS life on Mars, then don't get us all excited about it... But, if life was found to be existing there, wouldn't that cause some frightened people? Considering all those alien movies(hee hee). Just my 2 cents.

bdasher: Regarding the discovery of life on Mars, does it not occur to some of you that this "great discovery" comes just at the time that the Federal budget is considering the funding for NASA? While it is an intriguing thought that life of some kind once existed on Mars, I think that a slightly cynical view is appropriate, at this time.

slrpluto1: Life on Mars excited me at first, hey, here could be the evidence that there was once life on all of the planets(including the moon, barring the fact that it is not a planet).This could be the first bit of proof of the remnants of the Martian Kingdom.(BTW,if you don't watch Sailor Moon, you won't understand any of this)

DFox: I think a reserved attitude is appropriate, since NASA has found only possible traces of life and not life itself (or even its fossil remains). The day we find life on another planet, or make contact with it, will be a day for dancing in the streets. For now, further investigation is called for. As for landing on the moon, that was a technological achievement -- not a scientific discovery. I think the excitement surrounding it had more to do with patriotism, and pride in our species, than anything else.

arentzel: The only reason I think they tried to make a big deal out of it is that the USA is a country crazy for the "X-files" and "Independence Day" not to mention the gallery of aliens in classic movies such as "Star Wars." What do you expect?

DEGE: I belive it is a matter of personal view. I can say that society does not care and someone else will think different. Science is as exciting as it was 20 years ago, but the thing that is different now is the fact that we live in such a fast pace world. We as a society also live off of grief, sorrow, and anger. So if it does not have anything to do with death, fires, accidents, and so on, We don't want to hear about it.

eMael: This universe holds much more than we'll ever know.

JerryLS: Three billion years ago, there was life on Mars. It died out waiting in line at the post office. Some where in that dim past, a Martian child asked, "Mommy, do you think there might be life on that pretty blue planet near the Sun?" The mother Martian replied, "Shut up and eat your shilekop, I have to go to the post office."

RCalvert: I just don't think that petrified night crawlers on the surface of Mars is really worth celebrating over!

Kanaheik: People were excited in the extreme when man walked on the Moon, it was a fulfillment of an ancient dream to walk among the stars and be away, a new frontier to be explored. It sparked the imagination, and was definite and concrete (though some still state it was a studio set and scripted). Life on Mars, in such a simple form simply does not satisfy that human exploration instinct. Though life on other planets may be exciting to those who see it as a new form of life, to most it is just the crap on your shoe, worth no more importance then the germs of a cold. That it is inconclusive is simply another factor. The generation when man walked on the Moon was when new and exciting developments were just beginning to happen, to be explored, and exploited in some cases, but this generation has grown when new wonders are commonplace, when Science and technology have proved most anything possible. Life on Mars is just another facet of that, and nothing compared to what is already on Earth. In an age when alien life is already widely accepted, or given some consideration, inconclusive proof of bacteria on Mars is wholly dissapointing, and to some, dull. Why look at slides of martian bacteria when you can tune in to X-Files, or Independence Day, and see dramatic viewings of aliens unmatched by those found on Mars? It cannot compete for the attention of humans who have already grown used to such things in popular fiction.

formicacid: The differences between humans walking on the moon and the discovery of life on Mars is that the first is an action whose consequences are easily understood, whereas the later is more of a thought issue which requires a more philosophical understanding. Imagine telling a US citizen that the Raiders won the Superbowl. Just about everyone will understand what this means. Now tell those same people that a practical process for cold fusion has been discovered - how many people will understand and give a damn? They have to realize what it means, just as people have to realize what discovery of life - even the possibility of life - on Mars means. It isn't as easily/readily understood as what walking on the moon - or winning the Superbowl - means. Why don't people understand it as readily? My previous post deals with this.

debangsu: There i was in front of my TV channel surfing hoping to watch some good soccer match when i changed to CNN and so them presenting their LIFE ON MARS theory in the news conference. This WAS NEW!! But i always believed life existed elsewhere. I was pretty excited at the beginning, then i was to find out later - it wasnt as exciting as all that - there were WAY to many probably , possibly, we believe 's in their reportage. Nothing definite was found and ultimately, it was still a theory , waiting to be proved or disproved. Until it has been proved beyond doubt, the theory does NOT deserve the amount of publicity it has got. Anyway it all happened too long ago - I'd have preferred something more recent. And I still think my image of a Martian is a lot more popular than the NASA scientists' - little green men with heads that come to a point!!! :)

MalkavianClan: I thought Independence Day was a great movie... NASA? Well that is all make belive and a waste of money that could be going to the homeless or other more important things.

Dickj: It is significant if it forces fundamentalist religions to get a grip on the possibility of how really insignificant they are. Of course it has been possible to rationalize their existence this long -- this should be no obstacle.

Jackey: Life on Mars? How do we know that WE aren't Martians who came to earth in a similar rock? Perhaps our ancestors where riding that big comet that wiped out all the dinosaurs! Find me a walking, crawling, slithering or otherwise moving, breathing something or other on Mars and I'll get excited. Until then, it sounds like a PR move to pump life and big bucks back into NASA.

komendant: Come on guys, what we are seeing here is a possibility. Does anybody remember what a "lazy susan" was? It was a device that rotated to give everyone at the dinner table a chance to at least see what there was to eat. Now lets stretch the concept out a bit. We are sitting here at a dinning table called earth only able to look at a small portion of what is available on the platter. What we see right in front of us is only grits, but just on the other side is more food than we can imagine. Why is it so hard to believe that "grits" are the only thing on the plate?