Test of Mars Soil Sample Confirms Presence of Ice

[taku]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/science/space/01mars.html



Heated to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, a sample of soil being analyzed by NASA’s Phoenix Mars lander let out a puff of vapor, providing final confirmation that the lander is sitting over a large chunk of ice.



What do you guys think of this? I mean the presence of ice has ridiculous implications. Sorta means a little more when you have proof of ice on a planet that seems to have grooves on it's surface that seem to have been rivers at one time.





Also look at this other article... they say the soil on Mars has the appropriate nutrients for potential plant life, granted it's like the soil in Antarctica where they tested, but Mars is a giant place... but still:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/science/space/27MARS.html

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Pics from the eclipse today Aug 1st 2008
They look almost fake, but these were taken from high in the sky. A plane full of spectators went up to 27,000 ft specifically to watch the eclipse.






This picture of the people in the plane made me lol

[LFArmada]

cool

[brassmonkey]

taku, You beat me to this post. It's rather interesting, however I see strong religious battle potential in this thread.

[-=AlexXx=-]

wow, nature is crazy. the universe is so massive, and beautiful. That 1st eclipse shot is epic.

[caprice150]

makes me wonder if mars used to look like earth and succumbed to desertification like we are now but i think i remember hearing something like earth is the perfect distance away from the sun to sustain life and mars is to cold so maybe not.

oh yea and that girl on the right looks like a total goon