I'm in Texas, wish I were thinking about Mars
Arghhh! The biggest Mars announcement in ages and I'm stuck in Texas with nothing but brief access to a borrowed 28.8k dialup connection and lots of political scientists to interview with.
Anyway, sounds exciting, looking forward to getting home tomorow and catching up.
Nick, do keep in mind that "damp and cold -- and only that in limited places and for limited periods of time", is quite different from the warm and wet, rivers and beaches everywhere model that got popular in the 1990s. Even if it becomes off-White Mars (Ecru Mars? Alabaster Mars? ), still important. Science needs contariarians who aren't afraid to poke holes in the consensus and propose some controversial but clear and testable theories.