Obviously, EP, anyone can post under my name, but I would like to think that they would fail to match my literary style and wit. :-)

Of course, the Nick who posted last night is not the same as the Nick who now writes this. Metabolic processes have replaced a few molecules here and there in my body, and various nerve connections have changed, even in a single night. Furthermore, I no longer have the pleasant glow of a rich Australian red wine coursing through my viens.

However, I can reassure you that this morning I agree with my self of last night and do indeed encourage you to conduct some field simulations of hypervelocity impacts, using your own body as a proxy for the Red Planet, and a speeding bus as the impactor.

As an extra detail, gravity can perhaps be simulated by attaching yourself to the speeding bus with an elastic "bungy" rope. (although the purists will note than an inverse square law will not be achieved. Nonetheless, the results will be satisfactory enough)

Why do I suggest this course of action? Because I am tired of you making stupid and/or wilful misinterpretations of the basic physics that you need to master in order to say anything about impacts.

Since I no longer expect any progress in this arena, it seems to my simple mind that an immediate improvement to the signal to noise ratio of this group would ensue were you to become more adventurous and self-sacrificing in your investigation of impact physics. :-)

(Justin, save a space on the flame board for us, we might be needing it soon!)