Comments on: Closest Images Ever of Mars Dust Grains

By: Bill Illis

Bill Illis — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:57:04 +0000

Sorry, I didn't read the story thoroughly enough before posting. The spherical translucent material is actually from the lander's scientific equipment. So, just dust grains caught in the material.

By: Bill Illis

Bill Illis — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:19:07 +0000

You know, the pictures are very suggestive of what may be a living organism.

Unlikely, since the translucent material appears to be solid. But nice spherical shape, an exterior membrane layer, organelles inside.

The conspiracy nuts will have a field day with these pictures for years to come.

By: alphonso richardson

alphonso richardson — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:08:35 +0000

I'm impressed. let's see what they turn up in the days to come.

By: Jozef K

Jozef K — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:12:33 +0000

Breathtaking and incredible. For some reason this picture makes me unbelievably happy to be living in the current times. Its as if this picture captures the magnitude and microcosm of Mars' surface while, at the same time, it captures the fact that the macrocosm of the universe is separated simply by distances that have only to be overcome.

Thanks a lot, Nancy. These updates are always incredible.

By: GBendt

GBendt — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:16:12 +0000

It is really good to have that microscope on the Phoenix lander: It helps to check the samples the lander takes for contamination of these samples.
There seems to be a fibre in the upper left corner of the picture, this fibre obviously came from Earth with the lander. If heated in the landerÂ´s oven together with a sample of the martian soil , it would melt and go up in steam. Thus, the mass spectrometer on board measuring the composition of the gases that are emanating from the heated sample would reveal the existence of organic compounds on Mars that might be similar to molecules which on earth we know to form polymeres. This might lead some to the idea that there must be some type of plastic-producing bacteria thriving in the Martian soil …
Now we are well able to evaluate the results we will get from Phoenix. I am looking forward for them. This is a great craft!

Regards,

GÃ¼nther

By: robbb

robbb — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:11:22 +0000

such an impressive mission-in-progress. It's still hard to imagine that we are sending commands to the lander at this distance.

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:46:53 +0000

I have to wonder, though: does NASA have plans to check their samples before they heat them to check their composition?

I mean, how bad would it be to go looking for signs that Mars can or once could support life only to dig some up and fry it?

By: Timber

Timber — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:09:06 +0000

Exciting, thanks for the continued updates Nancy

By: Dark Gnat

Dark Gnat — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:59:56 +0000

Too bad the little alien forgot to get his fingers out of the picture.

By: law mc

law mc — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:48:51 +0000

good job covering the phoenix mission UT!!!