lifeonmars
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Mars may have enough oxygen underneath its surface for life
The possibility of life on Mars has been a tantalizing possibility for years, and recent discoveries have only increased excitement about whether we'll find life on the red planet. Now, a new study in Nature Geoscience posits that it's possible that Mars may have enough oxygen to harbor life under its surface.
Bill Nye and Buzz Aldrin do a little turn on the catwalk
Never in a million years did I think I'd see Bill Nye and Buzz Aldrin walk a runway together, but that's exactly what happened. Both were part of designer Nick Graham's Fall 2017 fashion show in New York City, where he revealed his new "Life on Mars: F/W 2035" menswear collection. Graham says the event was inspired by our need to explore the Red Planet, as well as his admiration for Aldrin's space travel accomplishments -- like being one of the first humans to land on the moon. That's why you'll see garments with prints of rockets and planets, or designs in red that are meant to represent Mars' famed hues.
New data suggests Mars had lakes that could have supported life
If you asked most star-gazers about water on Mars a month ago, you'd likely be told there is evidence for liquid H2O in the past, but it's probably long gone. How things can change. First was the big announcement that liquid water is still present (in some form). Now, new data from the Curiosity rover suggests there could have been a lot more of it than first thought, for longer periods of time, with the conditions needed to support life.
In Mars One we trust
Mars One promises to send humans on a one-way trip to the red planet, with the intent to colonize, by 2027. Once the first four people leave Earth for Mars, there's no turning back, no panic button, no chance to return home. This aspect of the trip isn't just for drama -- it's a core tenet of Mars One's technical feasibility. CEO Bas Lansdorp believes that it's possible, using current technology, to land and sustain human life on Mars. But the systems that would power a human settlement on an alien planet are ridiculously complex. They're so complicated that Lansdorp isn't yet sure what they will actually be. This lack of ready research has mired Mars One in controversy, thanks to a recent one-two credibility punch: First, a 2014 research paper from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concludes that the program is not realistic. Second, a series of articles for Matter magazine calls into question the feasibility of Mars One financially, scientifically and ethically. Still, Lansdorp promises to send humans to live on Mars, but he can't yet say how. He wants the world to trust him.
Curiosity rover flaunts its battle scar, wind sensor is bruised (but not broken)
You can't win 'em all. Such is the case with the Curiosity rover, anyway, as diagnostics have revealed that its wind sensors have sustained damage. NASA engineers aren't fully sure what caused this minor setback to the otherwise successful landing, but hypothesize that stones might've been kicked up during the rocket-powered landing, which then struck the sensor's wiring. Fortunately, there's already someone on the job, as Javier Gomez-Elvira is investigating the damage with the intent of restoring the lost functionality. Another NASA scientist, Ashwin Vasavada, believes the issue is rather minor: "It degrades our ability to detect wind speed and direction when the wind is blowing from a particular direction, but we think we can work around that." The broken instrument was initially discovered as part of NASA's routine power-cycling of all instrumentation, so as to determine an overall bill of health for the rover. Now that Curiosity has earned its battle scars, it can hold its head high during its journey to Glenelg and Mount Sharp.
NASA maps out proposed travel plans for Curiosity, decides to head for the hills
As the vista on Mars gradually gets ever clearer, and the system checks continue to show that the rover is in good stead, the team behind Curiosity will be increasingly eager to stretch its legs wheels. The first trip might be just a cautious few meters, but plans for a more adventurous jaunt have just been revealed. The first location in Curiosity's sights is an area referred to as Glenelg, which, based on initial pictures, offers three different geological characteristics, as well as potentially being an area where water used to be present. The site is only 1,300 feet (400 meters) from where the rover landed, but it could still take several weeks to get there. This is merely a quick dash compared to the next leg of its journey, which sees Curiosity heading out to an area called Mount Sharp -- a large mound of layered rock which is hoped to contain visible geology potentially dating back millions of years. With seven kilometers (4.4 miles) lying between the rover and the mountain's foothills, it'll be a much longer journey, but one that could provide the first real evidence of the planet's ability to host, or have hosted, life.
Curiosity survives brain transplant, prepares for first drive
If you thought your OTA update took too long, how about four days? That's how long the Curiosity "brain transplant" took, and is now finally complete. This now means that the main computers have switched over from landing mode, to surface mode -- and thus we hope -- meaning the rover's good to go. That said, it's still a painfully slow process, with Curiosity's wheels likely remaining steadfastly motionless for at least another week -- and even then we're looking at a trip of just a few meters. When it comes to interplanetary travel, though, slow and steady definitely wins the race -- in the meantime, you can soak up the view.
Torchwood, Ashes to Ashes: Getting your goodies more legally
Earlier today, Nik posted about the new BBC shows on iTunes. For the equivalent of about $3.75 each, you can download and purchase your UK fix -- Gene Hunt, Captain Jack, whatever -- assuming you have a way to create and fund a UK iTunes account. For now, the best way seems to be eBay. A quick search of iTunes UK produced a half-dozen auctions, most run by the same vendor. A £15 iTunes card (good for about 7 episodes) seems to be running in the low $20's but one went recently for $61--I'm guessing the buyer thought he was buying in dollars not pounds because $31 is not an unreasonable price, while £31 is. If buying, make sure you figure out in advance whether you'll be shipped the card (which can run as high as £5!!) or sent the code by email (should be free). If you already have an unfunded iTunes UK account (google for it), you might be able to find a friend to send you an email-based gift certificate. These start at £5 and go up to £75. If you can work out a deal via PayPal, you could pay your friend, for example, 110% of the face price to cover time and expenses. I actually did try buying a card directly from the UK Apple online store (free shipping!) but it balked at my US address. Do you have a better way to fund a foreign account? Let us know in the comments.
