source: http://www.technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=20569

People got very excited in 2004 when NASA's rover Opportunity
discovered evidence that Mars had once been wet. Where there is water,
there may be life. After more than 40 years of human exploration,
culminating...

Thank you for the first post with substance in a long time on this news group !

Up till last year, this group was alive with discussions ranging widely from the pure technical aspects of the current SETI projects
until the Fermi paradox and the meaning of 'intelligence' and an amazing spectrum of other subjects. However, in the past 12 months
it seems that bots, spam and morons are dominating the messages.
I was starting to wonder.."Where are they ?" all these SETI enthousiasts that used to make this one of the most interesting news
groups around.

Regarding your post, I read it with interest, and would like to make a few notes.

I like your introduction of the Great Filter but I do not share your conclusion that finding life on Mars (unless we find remnants
of a technological civilisation) would in any way change our prospects of our own future. Like Niels Bohr once said "Predictions are
hard to make, especially when pertaining to the future".
We do not know where the bottlenecks are were in the Great Filter in the past.

But if the current view of the evolution of life on Earth is any indication, and the timing of the various evolutionary steps, the
we can speculate at least with some knowledge.

First off, let me note that it is surprising how quickly life originated on planet Earth. Single cell organisms like cyanobacteria
filled the oceans almost as soon as these formed from the cooling planet. These microorganisms were already pretty complex : they
contain simple forms of chlorophyl that engage in photosynthesis. Talking about making progress !
This early rise of life should be a strong indication that either it is very easy to create life from anorganic sources, or (more
likely in my opinion) hardy microorganisms are abundant in the galaxy, traveling with comets and/or by themselves, seeding life
wherever there is water.

Got any ecxcuse, why not Venus ?
. - BG

simple_language@yahoo.com wrote:

simple_language@yahoo.com wrote:

There is at present liquid water on Mars. A few years ago I gave a link to a
rover image of it. Your hope is in vain.

The amusing point about the image was that it is water until shown to be some
other liquid yet NASA never even drew attention to the image.

BradGuth wrote:

Because big, evil, ugly Guthians live there.

On 30 Apr, 22:21, "Rob Dekker" verific.com> wrote:

On May 1, 12:23 am, Matt Giwer tampabay.REMover.rr.com> wrote:

Real mature, just like the old STR fart that you are.
. - Brad Guth

Hi Matt,

How are things ? I have not been here for a while.
I feel like coming back to the water hole, but almost everyone is gone..
Where is everyone else ?

"Matt Giwer" tampabay.REMover.rr.com> wrote in message news:48197062$0$31748$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
....

You mean this image, right ?

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/p/307/1P155450047EFF38EVP2557L4M1.J...

Here is the press-release again :

http://origin.mars5.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/opportunity/20041210a.html

It is rock called "Tipura", pictured on Dec 3, 2004 (sol 306).
It cannot be water, because it's freezing beyond belief there.
Do you think it is ice ?

"Ian Parker" gmail.com> wrote in message news:00b6efe2-bd7b-433a-b991-7fa10bb5fcbe@t54g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...

.....

You are right. We cannot rule out that the Galaxy was already colonized before, maybe multiple times.
However, that brings up several questions. Two come to mind :

Rob Dekker wrote;
Hi Matt,
How are things ? I have not been here for a while.
I feel like coming back to the water hole, but almost everyone is gone..
Where is everyone else ?

Perhaps, almost everyone else waiting to be Seti Classic reinstated :-)
Jacob