Per Drudge...

Big NASA Announcement Set For Today... // NASA is planning to make a huge announcement today, about possible life in our own solar system. Exact details of what we can expect to hear have not been released. We do know that evidence has been found that could point to life relatively close to the earth....


UPDATED:

NASA'S CASSINI DISCOVERS POTENTIAL LIQUID WATER ON ENCELADUS
Thu Mar 09 2006 11:21:33 ET

**Exclusive**

[Press release set for 2 PM ET release]

NASA's Cassini spacecraft may have found evidence of liquid water reservoirs that erupt in Yellowstone-like geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. The rare occurrence of liquid water so near the surface raises many new questions about the mysterious moon.

"We realize that this is a radical conclusion - that we may have evidence for liquid water within a body so small and so cold," said Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team leader at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. "However, if we are right, we have significantly broadened the diversity of solar system environments where we might possibly have conditions suitable for living organisms."

High-resolution Cassini images show icy jets and towering plumes ejecting huge quantities of particles at high speed. Scientists examined several models to explain the process. They ruled out the idea the particles are produced or blown off the moon's surface by vapor created when warm water ice converts to a gas. Instead, scientists have found evidence for a much more exciting possibility. The jets might be erupting from near-surface pockets of liquid water above 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), like cold versions of the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone.

"We previously knew of at most three places where active volcanism exists: Jupiter's moon Io, Earth, and possibly Neptune's moon Triton. Cassini changed all that, making Enceladus the latest member of this very exclusive club, and one of the most exciting places in the solar system," said John Spencer, Cassini scientist, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder.

-more--2-

"Other moons in the solar system have liquid-water oceans covered by kilometers of icy crust," said Andrew Ingersoll, imaging team member and atmospheric scientist at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. "What's different here is that pockets of liquid water may be no more than tens of meters below the surface."

"As Cassini approached Saturn, we discovered the Saturnian system is filled with oxygen atoms. At the time we had no idea where the oxygen was coming from," said Candy Hansen, Cassini scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. "Now we know Enceladus is spewing out water molecules, which break down into oxygen and hydrogen."

Scientists still have many questions. Why is Enceladus so active? Are other sites on Enceladus active? Might this activity have been continuous enough over the moon's history for life to have had a chance to take hold in the moon's interior?

In the spring of 2008, scientists will get another chance to look at Enceladus when Cassini flies within 350 kilometers (approximately 220 miles), but much work remains after the spacecraft's four-year prime mission is over.

"There's no question, along with the moon Titan, Enceladus should be a very high priority for us. Saturn has given us two exciting worlds to explore," said Jonathan Lunine, Cassini interdisciplinary scientist, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.

Mission scientists report these and other Enceladus findings in this week's issue of Science.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology

ETA:  I'm adding NASA to the title for easy searching (as if its going stop dupe posts )

Bump

I think a title change is in order, or this is going to be duped 87 times.

Quoted: Bump I think a title change is in order, or this is going to be duped 87 times.

+1

and "Tag"

tag

tag

If you would do a little study about tin foil hats you would learn it works like an antenna and makes the RF worse.

Don't wear tin foil or aluminium foil or other conductive material on your head !

Quoted: If you would do a little study about tin foil hats you would learn it works like an antenna and makes the RF worse. Don't wear tin foil or aluminium foil or other conductive material on your head !

You sir are obviously part of the .gov and alien conspiracy. What other reason can there be for you trying to leave us all defenseless against the mind control rays.

Virus on Mars.

Or evidence one might have existed.

Hey guys I've been here on Arfcom all along. I rather enjoy your company!

WATER ON ENCELADUS!

ETA: cut & pasted to the first post.

Quoted: Hey guys I've been here on Arfcom all along. I rather enjoy your company!

KILL IT!

Quoted: Quoted: If you would do a little study about tin foil hats you would learn it works like an antenna and makes the RF worse. Don't wear tin foil or aluminium foil or other conductive material on your head ! You sir are obviously part of the .gov and alien conspiracy. What other reason can there be for you trying to leave us all defenseless against the mind control rays.

That was the correct answer, citizen...now go back and watch TV....pay close attention....closer...

Quoted: Quoted: Hey guys I've been here on Arfcom all along. I rather enjoy your company! KILL IT!

with fire?

How long until the alien rain virus starts reanimating the dead?

Quoted: How long until the alien rain virus starts reanimating the dead?

87, minutes, days, weeks, months, years.

Just covering all the bases.

Has anybody seen any large black monoliths?

IT'S COMING RIGHT AT US!

--

Quoted: How long until the alien rain virus starts reanimating the dead?

Damn, I need more ammo.

taggage

Quoted: How long until the alien rain virus starts reanimating the dead?

Not soon enough!

i see aliens all the time.

whenever i drive past a construction site

whenever i am at the store

whenever i drive past an orange grove...

THEY FOUND KLINGONS CIRCLING URANUS!!!

I am expecting nothing more exciting than the Segway.

Nuke it from orbit !!!

All these worlds are yours, except Europa Enceladus.

Attempt no landing there.

Use them together.

Use them in peace.

Quoted: Has anybody seen any large black monoliths?

Yeah...but they're full of stars.  I can get that from a box of Lucky Charms...and I'll get Green Clovers, Pink Hearts and Blue Diamonds, too!!!

Stupid Monoliths!

All these worlds are yours, except Europa Enceladus. Attempt no landing there. Use them together. Use them in peace.

Quoted: Has anybody seen any large black monoliths?

No but I suspect I see NASA trying to conger up green monoliths made of money.

Quoted: Per Drudge... Big NASA Announcement Set For Today... // NASA is planning to make a huge announcement today, about possible life in our own solar system. Exact details of what we can expect to hear have not been released. We do know that evidence has been found that could point to life relatively close to the earth.... UPDATED: NASA'S CASSINI DISCOVERS POTENTIAL LIQUID WATER ON ENCELADUS Thu Mar 09 2006 11:21:33 ET **Exclusive** [Press release set for 2 PM ET release] NASA's Cassini spacecraft may have found evidence of liquid water reservoirs that erupt in Yellowstone-like geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. The rare occurrence of liquid water so near the surface raises many new questions about the mysterious moon. "We realize that this is a radical conclusion - that we may have evidence for liquid water within a body so small and so cold," said Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team leader at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. "However, if we are right, we have significantly broadened the diversity of solar system environments where we might possibly have conditions suitable for living organisms." High-resolution Cassini images show icy jets and towering plumes ejecting huge quantities of particles at high speed. Scientists examined several models to explain the process. They ruled out the idea the particles are produced or blown off the moon's surface by vapor created when warm water ice converts to a gas. Instead, scientists have found evidence for a much more exciting possibility. The jets might be erupting from near-surface pockets of liquid water above 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), like cold versions of the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone. "We previously knew of at most three places where active volcanism exists: Jupiter's moon Io, Earth, and possibly Neptune's moon Triton. Cassini changed all that, making Enceladus the latest member of this very exclusive club, and one of the most exciting places in the solar system," said John Spencer, Cassini scientist, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder. -more--2- "Other moons in the solar system have liquid-water oceans covered by kilometers of icy crust," said Andrew Ingersoll, imaging team member and atmospheric scientist at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. "What's different here is that pockets of liquid water may be no more than tens of meters below the surface." "As Cassini approached Saturn, we discovered the Saturnian system is filled with oxygen atoms. At the time we had no idea where the oxygen was coming from," said Candy Hansen, Cassini scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. "Now we know Enceladus is spewing out water molecules, which break down into oxygen and hydrogen." Scientists still have many questions. Why is Enceladus so active? Are other sites on Enceladus active? Might this activity have been continuous enough over the moon's history for life to have had a chance to take hold in the moon's interior? In the spring of 2008, scientists will get another chance to look at Enceladus when Cassini flies within 350 kilometers (approximately 220 miles), but much work remains after the spacecraft's four-year prime mission is over. "There's no question, along with the moon Titan, Enceladus should be a very high priority for us. Saturn has given us two exciting worlds to explore," said Jonathan Lunine, Cassini interdisciplinary scientist, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. Mission scientists report these and other Enceladus findings in this week's issue of Science. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology ETA:  I'm adding NASA to the title for easy searching (as if its going stop dupe posts )

Next comes the request for increased funding.

I've known all my life that there is water in enchiladas.  You can't make them without water.

On another note, I have very little respect for the larger scientific community's ability to rationally process observations.

So when are the F-304s going over to investigate?

Quoted: Next comes the request for increased funding.

Which they should get as long as they clean house by firing the current (mis)management.

I thought they had gotten wind of Apple's implementation through RSS and iTunes of the Rush Limbaugh Show commercial free podcasts (for paid subscribers).

Quoted: Quoted: Next comes the request for increased funding. Which they should get as long as they clean house by firing the current (mis)management.

They been doing that for 20 years... don't hold your breath.

You know, we may have this whole alien thing all wrong... We are always thinking of aliens landing on earth and being more advanced than us but, what if that isn't the case. What if we find some form of life in the simplest form? Of course we will observe it while trying to have as little impact on it as possible but, given enough time to evolve, these microscopic organisms could turn into something like us (ie. the ability to think like us) and have the same fears/thoughts that we have about more advanced life forms coming to their planet.

Ironic huh? We are what we have feared all along...

yep we'll land on some planet and eat them accidentally.  

Quoted: They been doing that for 20 years... don't hold your breath.

They've been hiring career bureaucrats and/or scientists to be administrators. They need to bring in someone with a vision for NASA. Look at the guys involved in the X-Prize. These guys could make NASA a commercially viable enterprise while freeing up government dollars for research.

Hell, I'd go so far as to privatize NASA and provide governmental grants for pure research.