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Pasadena,
CA - Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory were cautiously
optimistic Tuesday about the possibility there was once water
on Mars, as the Spirit Rover seemed to ignore what appeared
to be a rubber ducky, a bathtub and a pair of children's swim
fins in the distance.
"We are still studying the nearby sediment
and our instruments are sending data, so we should have a
definitive answer in the next month or two," said deputy
project manager Richard Cook. "However, this is very
complicated science, and it may take longer."
Other scientists were skeptical about the
soil readings and believe the Martian surface was never hospitable
enough to support large oceans of water, as others claim.
Project scientists including those at NASA
seemed to ignore the flood of calls by UFO enthusiasts pointing
out the clearly identifiable children's toys just meters away
from the rover's instrument panel.
"We must wait to drill into a nearby
rock, which we've named Copernicus before we can say anything
about the possibility of water," said Pete Theisinger,
manager of the $400 million Spirit mission. "Finding
signs of life at this time would only be possible if the planet
was conducive to water, perhaps 2 or 3 billion years ago.
And we don't expect to have answers about any form of primitive
cellular life for perhaps 20-30 years. Maybe never."
"Open your eyes, you idiot," screamed
one fan camped outside the Jet Propulsion Lab headquarters
Wednesday. "They're just like us. They like bathtub toys!"
NASA addressed the recent interest with a
post on their webpage:
"We are absolutely thrilled with the
interest and enthusiasm of the American people about space
and science, but we must move slowly and with caution if we
are to find life-bearing frozen water particles on Mars. Only
then can we look into other possibilities, such as a planet
supporting rubber, plastics and factories in which to mass
produce them."
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Above:
Water on Mars? We may never know
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