Mars Rover Team Plans Major Announcement

[Karlos]

If evidence for ancient martian seas is found, I wonder if some clue to the age at which the last water froze or evaporated away into the thinning atmosphere will be found?

[Karlos]

PMC wrote:
I can see next week's statement right now:

"...The Mars Opportunity Rover has finally located the British Beagle 2 lander.  The Rover is currently deploying a set of jump leads and a tow rope..."

:-D

That would be awesome :lol:

[Karlos]

blobrana wrote:
@KennyR
ER, this is good news...

It now means we dont have to consider contaminating the lifeforms there and e can now litter and exploit the place ...

No, seriously these are conditions that may have been ideal to early life forms on the early earth...
(er, chalk needs calcium, not much around there), and there seems to be a lack of silicate (sand) too...

I recall from my prebiotic chemistry option that complex silicates are thought to have been instrumental in the development of life. They were the first catalysts for reactions long since replaced by emzymes and are also thought to have been inorganic precursors to "template memory" such as RNA/DNA.