Hmm, Now I understand why the dinosaurs are extinct. Noah just forgot to put a pair of them on his ship. The poor scientists were looking for asteroid or whatsoever.

I like to see the scholars if one day NASA really finds fossils on Mars. They will have to give at least one more day to the old man to build this Universe. Then we may have an 8-day week and a lot of work for the unions to put it in the weekend.

Here is another thought in that scientist believe that the panets an the sun were created from a rotating disk of gas over billions of years. That each planet formed about were they are seen today in orbit around the sun. Also theory has it that the moon was once part of Earth before a large impact happened. Has anyone looked at the possibility that the planets mars, earth and moon were once all together at the asteriod belt area and that the impact created what we have today instead. Just another of gods handy work posibilities.

WOW, this article embodies what I hate most about organized religions. You can't prove them wrong because they keep changing their own rules.

The world was created in 6 days and is 6,000 years old
-Well maybe god has a different sense of time than the rest of us. Geez, have a lil faith.

The world will end in the year 2000!
-Hmm, maybe the calenders are wrong or better yet.....HE FORGAVE US YAY!!

The very basis of all nearly all religions is faith. Faith is the ability to make a decision without knowledge. Therefore, to keep faith, you must ignore knowledge. Please support increases in education spending. Its the only way to keep 'GOD' out of the picture.

I dont see any rules changed. Please re-read Genesis. Or the whole book. There is more science than is popularly thought...admittedly by both sides.

Also,you'll find that most Christians, Jews and Muslims do not scorn science as it is popularly stated by some folks who's perceptions are clouded by hate or ignorance. In fact, many of them work in high tech industries like my self or are in fact doctors, teachers, professors and...Darwin Forbid... scientists! :)

More often than not conflict occurs when one side or the other wrongfully tries to use religion as a weapon against science or as in Zacks case science as a weapon against religion. I actually see the two as complementary. Science reinforces my faith. I remember when people were more like Zack and scoffed openly about the idea of global floods wiping out most life on Earth...It was as "unimaginable" as a Dinosaur Killing asteroid? which was scoffed at for some time by scientists. Now because of science, its not so hard to picture the human race on the verge of extinction at the hands of a shoemaker-levy shotgun blast to Earths torso. I suppose texts like Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh or literaly dozens of religious or hitorical texts and legends played no part in stimulating the quest and gave clues to the answers. Hate from any source is of no value to those who seek both truth and knowledge. Keep an open mind!

Lets say that the world governments know the world / world religions are able to comprehend and accept the knowledge that there is intelligent life on other planets - which may be the current conditions of this time. If still this information was kept from the public through lies, and coverups of the sort, what are we to think?
It is my opnion that a revalation such as this being kept deliberately from a world that can handle knowing the truth must be because of a larger, more complex deception. Would it be that surprising if this information was witheld from the public by rich powerful government organizations to establish an order or belief system which could only come into existance as a result from the public coming to terms with such a profound public announcement of extraterestial life existing?
What other kind of public announcement or display of knowledge could possibly be capable of making a gigantic, and profound change in society(s)through out the world? What kind of profound changes? Many people have many ideas. But the fact remains that if what I am saying is true, we need to be trying to understand 1. why the powers of this world continue to keep this knowledge from a people who are capable of knowing it? And 2. what would they stand to gain by doing it?

Thanks for reading an opinion.

I think some people read a bit too much into any possible revelation, like life on Mars. Religions of the world have had contrary evidence thrown in their collective faces since time began and it hasn't stopped many of them. Remember how many preachers were claiming that the world would end in the year 2000? Was the Christian population deminished by the proof otherwise? Many Christians have incorperated the 'Big Bang' Theory into their views by believing that 'god said bang! and it happened'. If scientists were to announce that life on Mars exists without a doubt, then most Christians would just say that god's creation is even grander than we can comprehend!!

Nite everyone, sleep tight!

Harold, heres a thought. Wouldn't Nasa be better off if they set aside say a billion dollars of their budget, or proposed a compromise with Congress to use any additional funding to service or further staff the most successful missions like the twin rovers and Hubble. Maybe that would also help prod robotic developers to build machines that last longer knowing that they could qualify for extended funding. Perhaps they could poll the public to get their opinion on what should recieve funding. Then when they come to Congress with their hands out, they would have the public support that they need....
Good idea? Bad idea?

Zach: also put with that a more broad mission definition for what the probe is expected to do not so narrow minded like the Rovers (though they have been very successful so far) giving them more capabilities would at least make us feel like we are getting more bang for the buck.

Exactly! Rovers should have a secondary mission in mind when they are designed (possibly teleoperation). After the science mission is accomplished, they should have enough remaining memory to have new instructions uploaded to them. Rovers with robotic arms could automatically clear an area of rocky obstructions at future landing sites or something like this. Instead of giving a flat amount to companies that produce rovers or telescopes, NASA should award different levels of funds. A flat rate to build the robot, then a bonus for completing its primary science mission, and then a bonus if it is still operating for a secondary mission or more. This would provide incentive for both durable and versitale robotic missions.

i think you guys should put new picturse on yuor own creation and think wisly and get them nice a thinkging good thatk you for listioning