Ed wrote: Currently, I am amazed to find "myself" claiming both that there is no water on Mars and there never was any water there.

Chris writes: If that is what you think White Mars was about can't help you figure things out. I certainly never claimed you thought there has never been water on Mars.

Ed wrote: Once again, about every 26 million years or so, a massive impactor strikes Mars, releasing CO2 and a little water. This periodic acitivity can be seen in the regular strata seen there.

Chris writes: And your evidence of this impactor timeline is?

Ed wrote: Each time this happens there is a little more out-gassing before the remaining load is subsumed.

Chris writes: This doesn't explain the fact as show by "Oppy" and the signs of long term surface water (meanders, oxbows, etc).

Ed wrote: Right now, most of these volatiles are subsumed in Mars lithosphere. Mars' "atmosphere" is closer ot a vacuum than an atmosphere. Mars' "free" water is almost nil as well.

Chris writes: The only way you could make such a foolish statement is if you are being Earth-centric. Try landing a spacecraft directly on Mars as you might on the Moon and see how little atmosphere exist at Mars as your spacecraft burns up!

Ed wrote: As for the spherules, they are not formed by hydrological processes but by impact. This will be seen as they are found in multiple structures.

Chris writes: Yes by all means just ignore the data so you can fit your nutty ideas into the world.

Ed wrote: In closing, once again, Mars is not Earth like. This being the case, I suppose that ultimately you and the other Mars nuts will have to find another planet on which to realize whatever unfulfilled psychological needs are driving you.

Chris writes: Hardly as Mars seems to be a watery place possibly with life.

Ed wrote: PS - Manned Mars flight will not be cheap. Space ref had some nice poll numbers all assembled on popular support for manned Mars flight, but why bother with facts...

Chris writes: It's SpaceRef.com and they have URLs. Care to give us one to go to concerning your evidence. I didn't say Mars missions would be cheap...maybe affordable...but not cheap.