The Phoenix scientists apparently discovered percolic acid - an oxidizing substance that is also found in the Earth's deserts, but suspended the publication until they were sure of its existence * This publication does not increase or decrease the chances of finding life on Mars
NASA has announced that the Phoenix spacecraft has discovered an unexpected compound on Mars - perchlorate, but says that the analysis of the findings has not yet been completed. The scientists say they did not discuss the issue publicly before because they were unsure of the meaning of the data transmitted from Mars. According to them, the discovery, if confirmed, is exciting but it will neither increase nor decrease the chances of life on the red planet.
Peter Smith, the principal investigator of the Phoenix Project at the University of Arizona, said that his team would be as transparent as possible about the research.
"Our policy from the beginning was to show all the pictures taken by Phoenix the moment they arrived and try to involve the world, along with us, in the study of Mars as a planet capable of sustaining life." Smith told reporters. "We feel it's time to let everyone know what we discovered and provide a window into our project.
The public uproar grew late last week when rumors began to circulate on the Internet about important findings that the Phoenix team was hiding. The source of this rumor was an article in Aviation Week which claimed that the White House had been tipped off by NASA about plans to make a Panamanian announcement about an important Phoenix discovery concerning the potential for life on Mars.
The respected magazine also claimed that the scientists working on one of the Phoenix devices were absent from last week's press party to avoid the risk that they might answer questions related to the subject. The subject - which has now been confirmed by NASA - is the discovery of percolic acid.
Percolic acid - a compound containing chlorine and oxygen is an oxidizer, which means it can release oxygen, but it is not one of the strongest oxidizers. It can usually be found in the arid soils on Earth such as the Atacama Desert in Chile. Although the dry Atacama desert is often considered inhospitable to life, a similar assumption should not be made regarding Mars.
"On Earth there are a large number of plants that contain percolic acid that grow in soil that contains this substance to a certain level. There are a variety of bacterial species that use a percolic wall as a component of their metabolism," explains Sam Kaunaves, from Tapps University, also a member of the Phoenix team.
The signals foreshadowing the presence of percolic acid came from the Electrochemical, Microscopic, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) instrument, but NASA says that additional analysis is needed to confirm the data and refine the details.
On Earth, this acid is formed in the atmosphere through an action between aerosols or dust particles and sunlight, and they fall as a dry substance on the surface of the ground. In the deserts they stay on the surface of the ground, but in the wet areas they quickly enter it.
"Percolic acid can tell us about the history of water on Mars, not only at the Phoenix landing site but also in other parts of Mars as we continue our research," explains Richard Quinn, a researcher at NASA's Ames Research Center and a member of the Phoenix team. "We clearly see the presence of percolic acid on the surface as important, and a whole line of future research will be required to know where this material is found on Mars and whether the mobility of the salt plays a role in transporting the material.
Phoenix scientists hope to have more time to work on the findings. NASA agreed to add another five weeks to the original 90 days for which the mission was planned. The Phoenix scientists apparently discovered percolic acid - an oxidizing substance that is also found in the Earth's deserts, but suspended the publication until they were sure of its existence * This publication does not increase or decrease the chances of finding life on Mars.
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Hanan:
And I claim that the factors you cite in the various contexts are indeed self-interested.
Some are interested in publicity, some are interested in recognition claiming that they are not crazy despite their delusions, some are interested in discrediting the scientists and thousands of other reasons.
You, on the other hand, refer to NASA in the current context and claim that they are self-interested, but despite repeated challenges you are not even able to imagine what their interest could be in delaying the publication (and even more so when it is combined with a notification that it is about to come)
Lehnan, you don't need to speak to say something. The outsiders will always talk down your throat.
Michael: I did not discuss in this case about aliens or UFOs. I did not mention them, but I spoke about NASA from my knowledge of the organization and its work methods.
I have never asked anyone to believe me or accept what I say. But at least when I say something, I base it on something and not on such and such claims made by NASA spokesmen or interested parties...
And to the "point": it's just a shame that you don't think before you write, and when you write, you only prove it to everyone...
Hanan Sabat
http://WWW.EURA.ORG.IL
Lahanan: "One should not always blindly believe anyone who says something - especially not to organizations of this type."
You forgot to add, and especially for individual people who are not organizations, and are not subject to any responsibility.
And the son of the son of Cal and material, for all kinds of delusional claims about extraterrestrials visiting the earth.
Hanan:
I do not preach blind faith and the fact is that many of your claims I do not believe at all.
Just because you don't think they paused the publication to check better doesn't change the fact that this is the most likely explanation.
Let's see you come up with another explanation. Why would someone post that in a few days he intends to post something important and what does he intend to gain by hiding it for a few days?
There is a difference between the organizational blunders in the development of the Challenger that resulted from the egos of people who pledged to achieve a certain achievement at a given time and did not want to recognize that the shortcuts they take endanger the entire operation and the current case (or the alien case) where no one is committed and no career is imposed at stake.
No Michael. The question is different. Why is NASA delaying its publication (and I don't think it's because of an excess of strict tests of the findings).
And of course, since the history of NASA is known, then there are enough reasons to suspect them. This is not a transparent, open and visible organization. We all remember how they silenced those who tried to claim that the Challenger might explode, and indeed it did. You shouldn't always blindly believe anyone who says something - especially not to organizations of this type.
Lahanan and all conspiracy lovers.
See how simple things are.
I quote from the article:
"The public buzz increased late last week when rumors began to circulate on the Internet about important findings that the Phoenix team was hiding. The source of this buzz was an article in Aviation Week which claimed that the White House had received a warning from NASA about plans to make a Panamanian announcement about an important Phoenix discovery concerning the potential for life on Mars. "
This is a noise that started from what? From hearing that NASA intends to publish something.
That is, from the one who swore that he intends to publish the siko that he is hiding.
This is extremely smart.
Of course, if he intends to publish it on a certain day, then every day that is before that day he hides.
The conclusion is any conclusion you want because when logic is turned off then there are no laws and no mitzvot.
There are aliens in the world, and America knows it, they just keep it
The secret is that people won't panic.
Regarding NASA:
NASA has a long history of concealment, cover-ups, evasion of known faults and a host of characteristics that can be found in any government/military company in the world. I will not go into details here, but this is not a civilian organization, whose operations are transparent and exposed to the public. The information intended for it is revealed to the public, and to the parties Others were exposed to the information intended for them.
This is not about someone's private whims, but about knowing the methods of operation of organizations and the methods of operation of institutions that deal with sensitive information.
Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the delay was intentional, just as one cannot rule out the possibility that they are telling the truth this time (for a change).
Everything should be taken in proportion, while knowing such systems and their methods of operation, and considering what will be published in the future.
Hanan Sabat
http://WWW.EURA.ORG.IL
Itzik:
All in all, this is - in the most extreme case - delaying the publication for a few days to allow the administration to announce it dramatically. Probably not even that but it's the maximum.
Of course, conspiracy enthusiasts will make a soup out of anything
They know the scientific truth.
There's no reason they should tell the White House that Breitnig is interested. No scientific good will come from cutting budgets.
What to do when their financier is the government and they are a government company, they have to answer to the White House.
But go find out what else they are hiding because it has not suited anyone in the American government for generations. They are not necessarily loyal only to the scientific truth, but to the political truth as well.