Ice on Mars

Via MSNBC:

With a radar technique, astronomers have penetrated for the first time about 2.5 miles (nearly four kilometers) beneath the south pole’s frozen surface. The data showed that nearly pure water ice lies beneath.

Martian ice itself isn't news, but the extent of it and the method by which it was discovered are.

Friday Krauthammer

Charles Krauthammer has long been one of my favorite columnist/pundits. It's not really because of any agreements I have with him (though frankly, there've been many)-- there are people who I basically agree with, but just can't stand the presentation of their assertions. No, it's because of his elequence and erudition. He's very persuasive.

Anyway. the good Doctor's column this week is about one of my top-tier political interests- Outer Space. Specifically, the idea of a Moonbase:

The moon is a destination. The idea this time is not to go to plant a flag, take a golf shot and leave, but to stay and form a real self-sustaining, extraterrestrial human colony.

And he's right. He argues against the Space Shuttle, which I disagree
with, though probably largely on a "But it's so cool!" visceral level.

Regardless, it is of the utmost importance that we spread Humanity and Civilization beyond this island we call Earth. I know that the 18th and 19th Century ideal of Manifest Destiny is outmoded, but as long as there's an endless frontier and no current inhabitants, we should be out there-- exploring, colonizing, learning, advancing.

Read it all, and I'll have more on Space in posts to come. Part of the impetus for this blog was to cover and call attention to things that should receive more attention. Outer Space (and what we do with it) definitely does.