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then it is much more likely that there is water EVERYWHERE. And if there is water everywhere, the chances of abundant life in our galaxy and in the universe, go way up. To those who think in more parochial terms--its meaning in terms of experiences we all know about--think of the earthquake to European culture of the discovery that Earth is not the center of the universe, or the similar earthquake to that society of the discovery of the Americas, or think back even further to the initial discovery of the Greeks (and probably the Phoenicians) that the Earth is ROUND, later re-discovered by European explorers. Water on Mars is like the first inkling--the first tremor--of these kinds of profound, paradigm-shattering cultural changes.
Another indicator--as to the prospects for abundant life in the universe--are the recent discoveries of PLANETS outside our solar system, and, most recently, EARTH-LIKE planets. Only 15 to 20 years ago, I remember reading mainstream scientists pooh-poohing notions of life elsewhere, because water had not been discovered in our solar system (Earth seemed to be unique) and because planets had not been discovered elsewhere (our solar system seemed to be unique). But with improved technology both of these assumptions have been shattered. AND these considerations of mainstream scientists were limited to life as we know it. Water-based life, on a planet with perfect positioning vis a vis the sun. Since then, sulfur based life (no sunlight) has been discovered at the bottom of the sea. Given the immense time-frames and immense potential variety of conditions in the universe, it is now better understood that life can take many forms, and that both life and intelligent life is not only likely abundant in the universe, but it may have developed in forms that go way outside our notions of how to communicate with other intelligent beings. SETI hopes that radio frequencies are the ticket. But who knows? We are INFANTS at scientific understanding. I think we can extrapolate from where our ancestors were only a hundred years ago, to where we are now, to where we have yet to go, in understanding our position in the universe, and basic energy, biology and gravity principles. Little ant colonies, gazing out at the big world, and not being able to see over the next horizon, but beginning to get an idea of how big Bigness is, and what we may have to do with it all.
It's a very, very thrilling time to be alive--despite all our difficulties in our little ant colonies here on Earth. It's good to think of the bigger picture sometimes. We are able--as a whole, as a race of intelligent beings--to stretch our minds and our antennae out further than any who have come before us. Individual Buddhists, shamans, poets and dreamers may have gone there. But collectively we have been pretty much stuck in our dark little caves until now. It is the collectivity of these discoveries, and what they mean to all of us, that interests me. Global consciousness--that probably started back with the "beautiful blue marble" photo of earth from space, taken almost by accident, by the moonwalkers. Global consciousness, to solve global problems. Global consciousness, to reach out to other beings, and worlds.
You say, "Spotting an actual Martian on Mars would be something I could sit up straight over!" I don't know. By the time it happens--in whatever form--you might well yawn at it. You might demand of the TV, 'Show me another marvel! I'm bored with Martians already.' And maybe that will be good, and maybe not. As Carl Sagan worried, in his novel "Contact," it might be too much for us, too disturbing, at least temporarily. So if our couch potatoes treat it as blase--like you are treating the possible discovery of water on Mars--that might actually signal sufficient maturity in the human race to absorb the quake--a quake that will be like no other we have ever experienced. But I find your impatience somewhat irritating and worrisome, when I think of the tremendous human endeavor that it has taken to achieve this much perspective on the universe--the difficulty of it, the many courageous martyrs along the way, the collective miracle of modern, rational, objective science. We should not take it for granted. It has many enemies, and we could quite easily slip backward into our caves, and suffer a thousand years of darkness, as Europe did, from 500 to 1500 AD, or simply go extinct--do ourselves in--due to lack of global consciousness in solving global problems.
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