[X] My Assistant

[jmjawors]

(Sigh...) And here I was playing elsewhere & completely forgot about this...

Voila

[Stu]

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...

[nprev]

Voila

Thanks VERY much, Matt; I am now spun up!

Re Mr. Covault's enigmatic reply: My best guess still is a probable organic compound detection, which was a prime mission objective (that is, to determine whether they found any or not). Based on what little I know, doubt that TEGA is capable of more startling revelations.

To put it in perspective: Nobody's ever found organics on Mars, and conventional wisdom says that they are destroyed upon exposure to the surface UV and/or possible hyperoxides. On the other hand, organics are exceedingly common in the outer Solar System due to a lack of antagonistic environmental influences, but nobody makes a big deal about that fact.

So, detection of organic compounds on Mars would certainly be interesting (and amply fulfill a prime mission objective), but not completely unexpected at all, and not necessarily indicative of any need for any further extrapolations from anyone. Could well be carbonaceous meteoritic al a Allende material for all we know.

(Am I a buzzkill, or what? )

[fredk]

Re Mr. Covault's enigmatic reply: My best guess still is a probable organic compound detection... Based on what little I know, doubt that TEGA is capable of more startling revelations.

As I recall, the "question" by Covault was in reference to MECA, not TEGA. Also, Smith actually made a blunt statement that "no organic compounds have been detected yet", or words to that effect.

As far as the reference to the science advisor, I'd say that was clearly facetious, not at all meant to be serious.

[fredk]

As far as the reference to the science advisor, I'd say that was clearly facetious, not at all meant to be serious.

Sometimes real life is sillier than what you can make up

Can any Americans out there give the rest of us some context here - what is the significance of briefing the Presidential Science Advisor's office? Does this happen often? Is the team obligated to do this under certain circumstances? Why do you think they would do this before going public? Etc etc...

[JRehling]

Don't get really worried until there's a press conference announced with representatives of the TEGA team, the MECA team, and the US Strategic Air Command.