Am I the only one who doesn't care about finding life on Mars

Question

I am very interested in exploring the solar system, but I'm far more interested in exploring neighboring star systems. We know that even if we do find something on Mars, it would only be single cell organisms at best, and we already have plenty of those to study here on Earth. At least with other star systems there's a chance of finding complex organisms, or perhaps even inteligent life. Also, Mars is just a big dead rock. If we have to find life in our solar system, then why don't we send landers to Europa, and Enceledus, places that actually have liquid water. Why walk a mile for a chance to eat gruel when they may be serving lobster just three, and six miles away?

Answer 1

we should just stick with where we came from.

no problems then.  I believe there was life a billion yrs ago. maybe, but then again, EARTH our planet lived the longest i'm guessing out of the others.. so now we are the only planet in our solar system that has life.. and it's next our turn for the planet to dry out and turn into a big dried rock. hey you never know,

Answer 2

Don't you think it's a good idea to perfect our probes on the closest planet before sending them several light years journeys to extrasolar planets?

Answer 3

It's not just about finding life on mars, although many astronomers would be delighted to discover microscopic life over there.  The purpose of the exploration of our own solar system is also to tell us more about the geography and chemistry of the other planets, as there is only so much you can learn from telescopic and satellite imagery.  Since Mars is relatively close-by, with a climate that allows for easy exploration (Venus' overwhelming atmosphere and the extreme heat on Mercury create some difficulties), it only makes sense that we'd go there first.

Considering that Mars once had a far more temperate climate, it makes sense to search for fossilized life on the planet.  It may be a frozen wasteland today, but there once was a time when it was theoretically hospitable for early life.  The discovery of water on the planet raises the chances of life once having been present on the planet.  To find life on the planet would provide some insight into how life might have arose on our own planet, giving further credence to the theory of abiogenesis (life arising from non-life).

Water in any of its three forms is present on other bodies within our solar system, but the extreme climates and great distance from the sun makes it unlikely that life could arise there.  If we're going to find life anywhere in this solar system, other than earth, it'll most likely be on Mars.

As for neighboring star systems, believe me, astronomers would LOVE to explore those.  We know of several planets that appear to be similar in size and orbit to the earth, where we may find life if their atmosphere allows for it.  However, technology isn't advanced enough yet to send anything like the Martian Rover over there.  It would take thousands of years (probably hundreds of thousands of years) for any probe to reach those planets, and hundreds more for the information collected to be transmitted back to earth.  Chances are, such a probe would be destroyed long before it reached its target... the transportation craft would face everything from asteroids to extreme heat and cold, and would probably run out of fuel long before arriving there.  At this point, even exploring our own solar system is presenting a great number of difficulties -- interstellar transport just isn't feasible.

Answer 4

If you just HAVE to believe in ETs of anykind, they have something special in store for you. Google/youtube: "Project Bluebeam"

'Aliens' just in time for 2012! Many will be fooled...

Answer 5

Are you human?

Answer 6

Unfortunately our government would rather waste money on war, oil drilling and other bullsh^t rather than spending it on something that could benefit mankind in the long run like space exploration or global warming.  I totally agree with you about Mars.  We already know what's on it.  We have spent numerous landers there and ran a spectroscopic analysis of the whole d**n planet.  It is a big ball of iron f*cking oxide.  It doesn't even have an atmospheric pressure  strong enough to sustain liquid water.  There is no possible way we could terraform that whole planet to make it hospitable.  We can't even prevent our own planet from overheating.  Our priorities are in the wrong place to begin with.  The financial expenses of terraforming that planet are reddiculous and would require financial support from many different countries.  Problem with that is that most countries hate us and we owe money to just about everyone.  I just don't see how we could accomplish anything if we can't even take care of the planet we already have.  It is destined for failure but that's just what I think.  We need to get serious and quit taking f*ckin baby steps and just do what we need to do already.

Answer 7

im very sure

their is life out there, on mars and other of our planets

why should we beleif everything our goverment says..

we all know theyre liers.

maybe our planets are totally different from what they said to us..

who knows..

Answer 8

Yeah, I'm not really fond of Mars, haha. Explore new planets, scientists!

Answer 9

Well, we could find bones and such of past life even if their is no life on the planet. I think you are very alone in not being excited. This is great to me because it pretty much squashes a lot of religions. They won't be able to make us feel fear or guilt anymore!

Answer 10

I agree the government spends too much money on things that are not important and not enough on the really important issues if we dont do something soon our plantet will be like mars so then it wont cost to much to explore a dead planet we can explore ours when its like mars. i would love to see us find any type of life out there but i think we need to get our own planet in order before looking for anouther one to ruin. once we get our planet in order then i wouldnt mind looking for life else where

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Answer 11

Not by a long shot. Actually amoung planetary scientists, you are probably in a lot of company.

At least you have other interests besides rap music and what Britany

Spears is wearing (or not wearing LOL.)

Answer 12

With out current technology, we can visit Mars every two or three years, get there in a few months, and learn something.

At present, it is only possible to send satellites beyond Jupiter when planets are lined up in certain configurations, as the gravity of Jupiter (and other planets) is used to accelerate the satelites to the necessary speed.  It takes years to get to the outer planets.

It will take centuries to get to neighboring star systems.  The Voyageur satelites launched in the 70's are only now reaching the edge of the solar system.

We could invest in developing technology to fly the satelites faster.  That will take a major investment in time and money, and it will still take decades to reach a neighboring star system.

Answer 13

Since you seem very smart...How would you go about exploring other solar systems? fancy telescopes? faster than light space probes?

To answer your question in your terms, Why walk a mile for a chance to eat gruel when they may be serving lobster just three, and six miles away?

Cause I don't have a freaking car and I'm hungry now.

By the way, your ratio is all wrong, if mars is at 1 mile then other solar systems would NOT be there at 3 or 6.

Oh and if we do find life on mars that opens up a whole branch of science with the possibility of more funding from our government. And, we can answer the important question "are we alone?", yes, micro life counts. Maybe this can shut up Christian friend for a while before he finds something in the bible on how they already knew about life elsewhere.

Answer 14

I'm all for sending probes to Europa and Enceledus. As for Mars, people are interested in that, well the public is, because of the possibility for future colinization. And there is obviously no intelligent or mammalian life on there, and probably no bacteria so I doubt we will find anything very interesting.

Answer 15

I'm pretty sure that there are some people in some remote areas, who are running out of food (because of global warming) and not getting any aid (because we now use food to fuel our SUVs), who are far too involved with petty personal problems -- like seeing their children die of hunger -- to understand the grandiose beauty of finding life on Mars.