re: NASA saying MER is looking for water is truth...
So all you have is O'Brien's words no PR form NASA...
Hum, As I pointed out water is one of the things they are looking for and I do mean LOOKING. A microscopic imaging system could also be used to look at fossils and lichen, after the RAT has done it's work.
Is this how you do science Barry? Jumping to conclusions without doing any thinking or research first?
NASA is doing ground work because the first time they tried straight out looking for life they got burned. But, any system that can image is looking for signs of life.
If one of the Rovers finds some clear evidence of life what do you think they will do hide it? What if Beagle II detects nothing that is clearly life...what are you going to do say their lying?
--Chris Vancil