# Mars discovery is "one for the record books." But what is it??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 20, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639 "2012-11-20T20:01:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/1 "2012-11-20T20:01:06Z")
[Story here.](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49904984/ns/technology_and_science-space/# __utma=14933801.1713841819.1342446149.1353435615.1353440884.365&__ utmb=14933801.1.10.1353440884& __utmc=14933801&__ utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1353085204.354.3.utmcsr=dailykos.com%7Cutmccn=(referral)%7Cutmcmd=referral%7Cutmcct=/story/2012/11/16/1162268/-Ackerman-D-NY-and-Others-Unload-on-GOP-at-Benghazi-Hearing&__utmv=14933801.%7C8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Ccover=1%5E12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1%5E13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1%5E30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=78355732) > [@](#): > > NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has apparently made a discovery “for the history books,” but we’ll have to wait a few weeks to find out what the new Red Planet find may be, media reports suggest. > > The discovery was made by Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars instrument, NPR reported Tuesday. SAM is the rover’s onboard chemistry lab, and it’s capable of identifying organic compounds — the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it. So, proof of life I imagine? But what kind of proof? I’m so intrigued! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/2 "2012-11-20T20:06:39Z")
I wouldn’t get my hopes up too much. Big astronomical discoveries/firsts are as common as “unique” baseball stats. And most of em end up being about as exciting. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/3 "2012-11-20T20:12:44Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I wouldn’t get my hopes up too much. Big astronomical discoveries/firsts are as common as “unique” baseball stats. And most of em end up being about as exciting. Yeah I know… these guys get excited over a new release of Linux, but they’re making it seem like a Big Deal. Even describing the discovery as “Earthshaking.” I’ll just [listen to this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--IqqusnNQ) on repeat while we wait. _Take a look at the lawman Beating up the wrong guy Oh man! Wonder if he’ll ever know He’s in the best selling show Is there life on Mars?_ ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/4 "2012-11-20T20:16:09Z")
Well I’m excited. But I’m a space geek, so I would be. It’s gotta be something like microbes on Mars or something. SO COOOOOL!!! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/5 "2012-11-20T20:24:33Z")
I’m betting at best its another thing that hints at life. Maybe a strong hint but still not direct proof. Don’t get me wrong. I lurv NASA, astronomy, Mars, and highly expect life to be found there eventually and perhaps even another place or two for that matter. Though I am glad we finally got rid of that trampy little Pluto though. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/6 "2012-11-20T20:32:47Z")
It’s probably something as mundane to a layman as reaching Martian bedrock with a drill. That’s a huge break though for geologists who have only been able to look at dirt and rocks so far. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/7 "2012-11-20T20:35:23Z")
Everything Curiosity does is basically for the history books. Ooh, our little baby moved a whole meter today! A new record! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/8 "2012-11-20T20:36:26Z")
That self portrait that looks like it was taken by something other than the rover is kinda cute. ---
**Author:** ![dimmy\_derko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@dimmy\_derko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dimmy_derko)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/9 "2012-11-20T20:46:14Z")
If Mars had lost an Earth-like atmosphere 1 billion years ago, how would we be able to determine this just by observation? Would it look remarkably different than what it does now? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/10 "2012-11-20T20:54:39Z")
I’m very intrigued as well. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/11 "2012-11-20T20:56:05Z")
Oh, so _that’s_ where I lost my cell-phone. ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/12 "2012-11-20T21:03:10Z")
I’m guessing some evidence for organic compounds. Perhaps an amino acid. Let’s hope so. NASA has a very bad track record for the way they report these things. Remember the martian meteorite fiasco? All kinds of hype in advance, then a big press conference, with multiple project scientists, and one scientist who was not part of the team. NASA claimed that they had found strong evidence of life. In my opinion, the guy who was there to provide counterpoint won the debate by calling every bit of evidence into question. Of course, none of the media reports emphasized that. More recently, the same sort of thing happened. Again there was tantalizing advance notice hinting at the discovery of alien life, followed by the quickly discredited report of extremophiles that could survive without Phosphorous, using Arsenic instead. I’m hoping for the best, but wary of getting my hopes up too high, given NASA’s track record. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/13 "2012-11-20T21:09:48Z")
I was going to mention that they found some undisputable evidence that Mars once had flowing water ([something already reported before](http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231796/NASA_says_Curiosity_rover_finds_evidence_of_water_on_Mars)), but the article makes it sound like they found some organic compound, maybe one that indicates that there was life. Or maybe even a living organism! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/14 "2012-11-20T21:17:24Z")
They found the dude who carved the face on Mars. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/15 "2012-11-20T21:20:33Z")
Also going with some amino acids, possibly a simple protein made from 2-3 amino acids. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/16 "2012-11-20T21:21:05Z")
Could be good news. Could be [BAD news.](http://archive.firstones.com/tp2b/shadow_realm/shadows_marsdig2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/17 "2012-11-20T21:22:29Z")
The ‘one for the history books’ is that the rover did a touch sample test and then moved to a different location, _all in the same day_. It’s never been done before. If you would like to get the real, actual news and up to date information from the source, go here and sign up for email updates. Then you will get the real science before some news media outlet like NBC buggers it all up with sensationalism and hype. > **[NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) - Robotic Space Exploration](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/)** > > Space mission and science news, images and videos from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the leading center for robotic exploration of the solar system. Sign up here for email updates here: [http://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/ct/contactus.asp?c=bsJKK2PNJtH&b=6379375&en=etLMK2NRJeJLL5MMLaKKJ8MUKqLZK6MRJjJRK6PRLtI9H](http://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/ct/contactus.asp?c=bsJKK2PNJtH&b=6379375&en=etLMK2NRJeJLL5MMLaKKJ8MUKqLZK6MRJjJRK6PRLtI9H) ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/18 "2012-11-20T21:40:02Z")
It found an Illudium P-36 Explosive Space Modulator. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/19 "2012-11-20T21:55:51Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I wouldn’t get my hopes up too much. Big astronomical discoveries/firsts are as common as “unique” baseball stats. And most of em end up being about as exciting. Yeah, call me cynical, but given their track record it’s probably that they found a couple of ice crystals or something. If they really had direct evidence of life, I’m have a really hard time imagining that word wouldn’t be leaking out of every pore at NASA. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639/20 "2012-11-20T22:02:56Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Yeah, call me cynical, but given their track record it’s probably that they found a couple of ice crystals or something. If they really had direct evidence of life, I’m have a really hard time imagining that word wouldn’t be leaking out of every pore at NASA. As I understand it, Curiosity isn’t designed to find direct evidence of life, so unless a Martian caterpillar crawls across the camera lens, we probably won’t be hearing any discoveries of life. Curiosity is mainly looking for evidence that Mars could have supported life in the past. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-discovery-is-one-for-the-record-books-but-what-is-it/641639.md?page=2)