Nick says: "Read my lips, Barry, "the oceans of Mars are dead". They are as accurate as Lowell's canals and Wells' Tripods."

Gee Nick last time somebody used the words "read my lips" it turned out to be a big lie didn't it? Now, you are comparing the work of many highly qualified researchers with decades of experience on the subject of water on Mars to Lowell's canals? What are you sipping in your glass tonight Nick? You must be joking right? There is more evidence than ever that liquid water rolled over the surface of Mars at different times in tis history. I don't think you or Christensen will be able to rewrite the history of water on Mars with your circumstantial data. The pieces you have just don't fit the puzzle.

Nick says: "Fine, and will you shut up when the radar shows inpenetrable multi-km permafrost across the entire planet, or will you bleat for different data that supports your monomaniacal crusade for life on a barren lifeless planet?"

Will you shut up if Mars Express and other spacecraft en route show that liquid water is melting from ice at the near suface? As for your comment on my "monomaniacal crusade" for life on a barren lifeless Mars...well coming from a guy who thinks torrents of liquid CO2 carved the Martian tributaries and then has devoted an entire website to it, you can't hurt my feelings much. You seem to be on a monomaniacal cruasade to convince the amatuers on this bbs that your theory is valid. However, I have talked with lots of researchers about White Mars. Most think its daft, although I don't -- not entirely. I think the theory has applications to other worlds in other solar systems, but not necessarily Mars. Besides Nick, I base my "crusade" on experiments that were actually conducted on the surface of Mars. The British seem to feel the potential for life is worthy enough to send a lander designed to specifically answer those questions. To ignore them, as NASA has since Viking, is shall we say, at best - very unscientific.

There is a very good probability of Beagle 2 finding both organics and carbonates. Should be interesting to see how you change your tune in th coming months. Of course, I could be the one eating his hat, but I think the Viking data for life is very strong. I'm sure you and I will keep each other informed of the latest data from these probes won't we? Should be lot's of fun.

BD