blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008 … ix-tw.html
interesting development…
-Imp
Very interesting. Now to wait for the test results.
Has water vapor been detected in the atmosphere? The reports say that the ice doesn’t melt, but evaporates into the thin atmosphere. Unless all the ice on the planet is covered with soil, water vapor should have been detectable in the atmosphere a long time ago. I must be missing something… 
This is a breakthrough indeed.
If there’s water on mars, then it is possible that there is then poop on Mars!
seriously tho, that ain’t bad… even though the picture is highly unclear.
That depends, Mars’ atmosphere is very thin, so a lot of the water vapor won’t be retained and will simply fly off into space. At least that is my understanding. Or it could just be below the limit of detection for our tools until we are actually on Mars. Remember: Mars is very cold, and the ability of air to carry water is related to the temperature. That is why your skin dries out in the winter and it gets hot-and-muggy in the summer. So there can’t be that much water dissolved in the air on Mars. That probably plays a role too.
In fact, I bet that is it. Isn’t Mars below 0 anyway? While some of it will sublime because dynamic equilibrium is at play (and the pressure is low, so the freezing point needs to be adjusted), most of it would be in solid form.
The air pressure is dramatically lower than earth’s (.7kPa), although still I believe that the ice caps are made largely of water ice at the surface. That seems bring up the question of why their are ice caps at all - it seems to me that if water ice could exist elsewhere, we would expect to find it, no? Sublimation and then loss into space seems a likely scenario to me…
Which really this is a moot point.
Because of the ultra thin atmosphere of Mars, we do not have the capability to create a substance which could even come close to withstanding the radioactive particle bombardment that the planet suffers. No human on Mars … unless certain death is entertained by astronauts.
Ice, water … whatever. It’s called “inhospitable dead rock”, only fit for quick study and a lot of unsupportable “what if’s”.
They are in the process of developing suits specifically for Mars. These will be unlike any other suit to date. A friend of mine is helping to create them. They will be safe against radiation, heat and cold. They have been under development for at least 5 years that I know of. Last I heard there was some very promising tests done on the latest designs. That was about a year or so back. I only see the guy once every year.
Makes you wonder if any bacteria is left on mars.
Hybernating in rocks and underground maybe.
What do you mean, left? Its never been shown to have bacteria at all. It might never have supported *any complicated life like bacteria.
Strange.
I read a science article less than six months ago that stated there was currently nothing in development that could withstand the environment on Mars and protect a human explorer. All metals were out, and none of our plastics could even come close, even at thicknesses of a foot+ …
I’ll try to find it.
You could be right about that, I would be interested in seeing the article if you find it. I just know what I was told.
Science progresses pretty quickly these days, the article might have been right, and now be outdated. New materials are developed every day, and materials aren’t the only way to block radiation: magnetic shielding might be a feasible way to protect facilities, altough a person-sized magnetosphere is a stretch. Then again, science does progress quickly these days.
Denali, I don’t think loss of water vapor into space is the best explanation. That would indicate enormous amounts of water to begin with, which would have evaporated over the lifespan of the planet. I think more reasonable would be an even distribution and a kind of selection pressure that caused a slow migration of water towards the poles. Assuming the poles are colder, water vapor that difted closer to the poles would freeze sooner and stay frozen longer than water near the equator. That should be enough selection, but I think the rotation of the planet would also tend to move vapor towards the poles. Ice remaining in the middle zone can be attributed to a lot of things, but is statistically expected as an outlyer of the mass of ice at the poles.
-^
fantastic point. A mars suit could be unthinkable today, and in 3 months be under significant production, or 200 new conceptual designs created.
Not only is it an issue of increasing technology etc (though thats the main driving point) its also true, that things impossible right now, through innovation, could happen with modern technology.
human innovation plays a massive part in new technologies, and because no one’s thought of a successful concept for X, doesn’t mean that no one will.
It’s been shown that mars once had a atmosphere.
I was merely stating that it makes one wonder if there are any frozen life forms or micro bacteria somewhere deep within the planet’s surface. I never stated that there was but I think it would be pretty interesting if the possibility could indeed exist.
Since there still is a space race going on, secrets are kept. Better to say you have nothing then let your competion steal your ideas. Scientists and Gov’t s have egos. Real honest cooperation is such a dirty thought.
uh huh.
water in africa still tainted.
I missed that one. How is water in Africa tainted? The subject is just not ringing a bell in my head.