Ice on Mercury in polar crater shade

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the discovery of stable polar water ice deposits on Mercury, particularly in the context of their formation, potential implications for life, and the excitement surrounding the findings presented in a NASA press conference. The scope includes theoretical implications, speculative ideas about life, and observational details from the press conference.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express excitement about the discovery of ice on Mercury, suggesting it warrants further exploration, such as sending a rover or even colonists.
  • One participant speculates about the potential for life evolving in the water pools around the ice, proposing a hypothetical evolutionary path from single-celled organisms to more complex life forms.
  • A participant shares detailed notes from a NASA press conference, highlighting the stable polar ice deposits, their formation by comets and asteroids, and their proximity to organic chemicals, while noting that NASA did not claim to have found life.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express enthusiasm about the discovery, but there are competing views on the implications for life and exploration, with no consensus on the feasibility of colonization or the likelihood of life existing in those environments.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes speculative ideas about life and evolution that are not substantiated by the findings presented, and there are unresolved questions about the conditions necessary for life in the context of Mercury's environment.

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Send out a rover! :smile:
 
Bah, send out colonists!
 
Just think, life evolves in the water pools around the ice sheet. First single cell animals, then fish, then lungfish, then a little dinasaur that crawls out of the water, crawls out of the crater, and is vaporized *poof*. Interesting twist on natural selection...
 
I was watching the live video feed from the NASA press conference, and took the following notes:

- stable polar water ice deposits
- deposited over a long term by comets and asteroids
- redistributing into crater micro-environments which range from 550 to 50 kelvin
- in close proximity to rich organic chemicals
- all the building blocks of life
- images are expected of "unusual phenomena" in the vicinity of these craters

Although the NASA folks specifically denied they were reporting anything like finding life, they were grinning from ear to ear over their splendid results.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve
 

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