Why do we still look for life on Mars?

Hey, this is Th3 Condor (also new only have one post, just figured I'd tell you thats who the responses will be from) I couldn't remember my password, and made this account (e-mail is currently inaccesable) When I have access to my e-mail, I will get back on that account and post on this, anyway, on to the actual content...

Why do we still spend so much money exploring Mars? If we find water on it, so what? I mean, sure, we might colonize it in the future, but Mars isn't going to have life on it. We are wasting money exploring it.

If we are going to colonize it, we need to spend the money finding out how we can build suitable homes so that we don't die within 30 seconds of getting there.

Just what I think

I think it comes from the human desire to explore, only institutionalized. I agree, it does not make logical sense to investigate life on mars (ancient life) as it will have no real impact on this world and will not really do anything to save humanity, lol.

But hey, if I had the choice of giving my (rather large) tax burden to social programs that do nothing but make slaves out of ignorant minorities (and has done so to the point that it is now generational, and the children of these new "slaves" don't even know they are slaves....never mind)

(and by "minority" I am not taking about race, but income and education, so take your bigotry accusation somewhere else, or review the real statistics and start a thread on another forum)

But, I think that investigating Mars is important not for the life, but for the technology potentials it may yield, which will be necessary to pursue our inevitable space-faring future. All societies in the universe either become space faring, or extinct. There is no in-between. And it has to start somewhere. It may take thousands of years, but things like this defiantly add to the equation, whatever the reason for the initial exploration is.

If we find traces of ancient life, then their DNA will be different to ours and will need to be examined. It may give us a new idea about how life forms on planets, and also examination of how species develop in a low gravity scenario

Even if we find existing microbial life on Mars it could have beneficial medical properties. Also the military could use it for weapons.

Why not?
Of course were going to, its inevitible, its human nature, of course theres a point to it, just not to you.

But of course! If we can't exploit it, then why even waste our time?

It's called exploring. You never know what you're going to find on another planet. Having said that, we haven't even explored all of our own oceans.

reply to post by Shaved Yeti


And how do you know there isnt going to be some variation of life found on Mars?
Life is found in areas on Earth that were once thought to be inhospitable, ie extreme cold and extreme heat around submerged volcanic vents
If theres liquid water found then the possibilities of there being life present multiply, even it its found a few miles/km's down..
Even before they reach that level they could possibly reach frozen water, which could either contain some kind of life or the remains of life.
I know getting to that level would be a huge challenge but I think its important to learn more about Mars History, which could open a book to Earths Future, especially what caused Mars to end up like it is.
Some people say its to risky to even bother with trying to send a man to Mars but I think this is an important step to us eventually becoming a space faring species.

Originally posted by Ecidemon
Having said that, we haven't even explored all of our own oceans.

Maybe we should deal with finding everything on our own planet rather than others, at the moment at least.

reply to post by Shaved Yeti


"Shaved Yeti"? That's good, that's really good..

I think we should colonize the moon first, and learn from the experience of process, before jumping to the red planet..

Originally posted by Shaved Yeti
Why do we still spend so much money exploring Mars? If we find water on it, so what? I mean, sure, we might colonize it in the future, but Mars isn't going to have life on it. We are wasting money exploring it.

If we are going to colonize it, we need to spend the money finding out how we can build suitable homes so that we don't die within 30 seconds of getting there.

Just what I think

U KNOW WHAT I THINK ITS REALLY STUPID?
Searching and spending SO MUCH money in a different planet so we can be saved...

WHY??????????
IF WE have an beautiful planet to live!!!!!!!!!!!?!!?

Whats their idea? Why explore an different planet...? When with a easy change of atitude , we can still live in our planet!!???

Besides... if people think that if theres a chance to live there... and then in the future people will really live on Mars...and will not destroy MARS...just forget it... the human being will make the same mistakes on mars or in any other planet that have made on earth! DUH!! And to me - That's STUPID!

So, if i understand this right

founding an ancient alien civilization in mars isn´t worth it?

Or at least some ancient life forms, or fossils...it would be the best discovery of human history.

come on....

[edit on 22-5-2008 by Orion437]

Through exploring other planets, we can learn of new ways to make new discoveries on Earth. Also, moving to other planets is necessary to keep the human race alive. If an impact event kills everyone on Earth, then maybe people living on Mars could keep humanity alive. Also still, there could be simple life on Mars in some locations.

[edit on 23-5-2008 by GrayFox]

We look for life on Mars because;

It is close. And similar to us in distance from the sun.

We think it once had an atmosphere and liquid water. (And may still)

We have found life on Earth in places that the convention of the times would have said it couldnt exist.

The DNA may be totally different, as someone else said.

Or- it may be strikingly similar and thus lend credibility to the whole "life has been seeded through the cosmos by........."; comets, aliens, divine beings, take your choice.

Animals, including and especially humans, are naturally curious and exploratory and it is something to figure out and explore.

It is something besides war to spend our tax dollars on.

And the number one reason we are looking for life on Mars is........(drum roll)

The Bush administration insists they have information that Marvin the Martian is developing weapons of mass destruction and we need to plan a pre-emptive strike.






Edit to add image of terrorist.

[edit on 23-5-2008 by Illusionsaregrander]

reply to post by Shaved Yeti


Martian life would be of great interest to both the Medico/Pharma people and the Military... and that's just scraping the surface.

For one, a Martian life form could carry an antibody that may be useful to us in fighting diseases and virus'... (antibiotics aren't what they used to be). The Military would just find some way to weaponize it. Childrens imaginations will be sparked. NASA will get more money...

The Agnostics will say, "See - proof that there isn't a God". The Believers will say, "See - proof that God is everywhere". Then the marketeers will sell us the action figure, t-shirt, keyring and coffee mug.

It's easy to see why we look for life on Mars, or anywhere else for that matter. Everyone Wins! LOL!

IRM

You are right why would they spend so much money trying to find life?

when so much money has been spent already without finding any signs of life?

Or perhaps Nasa have some other information that you are not prive to?

That they have the confirmation of Life already.... but havent been able to prove it... If you see what im saying..

Just food for thought.....

When evidence of past life on mars is found, will scientists then blame greenhouse gas and the resultant global warming for the planets lifeless dry barren wasteland, that is its present condition today?