The MECA story, A place for speculation |
The MECA story, A place for speculation |
![]()
Post
#1
|
|
![]() The Poet Dude ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 ![]() |
Seriously, hasn't anyone else got any thoughts (dismissive or otherwise) on the "Have you briefed the President's Science Advisor?" (re MECA) question by C Covault? I am NOT going all woo-woo here, don't worry, I just thought it was an odd thing to ask... To my ears it sounded like C C was suggesting, subtly, to the panel that he had heard "something" about the MECA analysis and wanted them to comment. The question was brushed aside - rather uncomfortably I thought - and the discussion quickly moved on, but it seemed like a bit of a Moment to me. He actually began, if I remember correctly, by asking where the "MECA guys" were, asking if they had "been hidden under the table"... cue uncomfortable laughs from the panel...
Again, I have to stress, in case anyone thinks I'm 'suggesting' anything, I'm not getting all Muldur here, I was just struck by how out of the blue the question was, and wondered if anyone has any thoughts on it... -------------------- |
|
|
![]() |
![]()
Post
#2
|
|
![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 813 Joined: 29-December 05 From: NE Oh, USA Member No.: 627 ![]() |
Agree the MECA team has not had serious problems.
Craig Covault's comment took me completely by surprise. It came totally outta left field. He had to have some kind of basis for that weird question. (And the basis could be a totally false rumor). Or maybe it was an inside reporter-scientist joke. But jokes like that can make you lose credentials (respect from the team to take your questions seriously). Craig |
|
|
![]()
Post
#3
|
|
![]() Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 101 Joined: 29-January 06 Member No.: 667 ![]() |
I put a notice of this in the MECA topic, but Covault's intriguing question in the briefing is prominent here:
Covault's article: Aviation Week: White House Briefed On Potential For Mars Life QUOTE The White House has been alerted by NASA about plans to make an announcement soon on major new Phoenix lander discoveries concerning the "potential for life" on Mars, scientists tell Aviation Week & Space Technology. Sources say the new data do not indicate the discovery of existing or past life on Mars. Rather the data relate to habitability--the "potential" for Mars to support life--at the Phoenix arctic landing site, sources say. What could make the second sample more interesting on the issue of habitability than the first? QUOTE The MECA instrument, in its first of four wet chemistry runs a month ago, found soil chemistry that is "Earth-like" and capable of supporting life, researchers said then. It is intriguing that MECA could have found anything more positive than that, but NASA and the University of Arizona are taking steps to prevent word from leaking out on the nature of the discovery made during MECA's second soil test, in which water from Earth was automatically stirred with Martian soil. |
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 15th June 2024 - 08:08 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |
![]() |