The 14 Year Old in Me Really Wants to See a Heinlein Mars...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7829315.stm

BYWInsaniac: life
BYWInsaniac: on
BYWInsaniac: mars
BYWInsaniac: the outgoing head of NASA announced it
BYWInsaniac: well
BYWInsaniac: signs
joemalley2: wait huh?
joemalley2: i was too busy hearing about a plane crashing and Bush making a speech
joemalley2: the media had one hell of a day
BYWInsaniac: so here's the jist
BYWInsaniac: there are these burps of methane that are VERY localized
BYWInsaniac: and they are seasonal
BYWInsaniac: which means SOMETHING is replenishing the supply
BYWInsaniac: heard it on the radio
joemalley2: ok
BYWInsaniac: so
BYWInsaniac: either
BYWInsaniac: 1. geothermal energy is causing it
BYWInsaniac: or 2. life
BYWInsaniac: but if its geothermal energy, its still important because it means mars isnt a frozen rock
BYWInsaniac: there is heat under the surface
BYWInsaniac: thus more possiblity of life
joemalley2: so if it's life
joemalley2: something is, what, breathing?
joemalley2: and is apparently seasonal
joemalley2: and apparently it's big, or there is a lot of it
joemalley2: do i have that right?
BYWInsaniac: a lot of it
BYWInsaniac: like bugs or something smaller
joemalley2: OW
joemalley2: I had sudden flashes of val kilmer fighting methane insects on mars
joemalley2: it hurt
joemalley2: i'm better now though
BYWInsaniac: hahaha
BYWInsaniac: ooh
BYWInsaniac: but the other exciting thing about geothermal energy on mars
BYWInsaniac: it could be used as a power source for colonization
BYWInsaniac: so yeah
BYWInsaniac: either way
BYWInsaniac: this is a HUGE announcement
joemalley2: you're a bit of a science nut aren't you?
BYWInsaniac: i get excited about it, but i'm not that well versed. it kind of has to be spelled out for me
BYWInsaniac: but i love it
BYWInsaniac: fiction becoming reality
BYWInsaniac: its very exciting


Thoughts?