Mars – Harmonia Philosophica

Rain…

The fourth planet from the sun, Mars has geological features like the Earth and moon, such as craters and valleys, many of which were formed through rainfall. Although there is a growing body of evidence that there was once water on Mars, it does not rain there today.

But in their new study, geologists Dr. Robert Craddock and Dr. Ralph Lorenz show that there was rainfall in the past – and that it was heavy enough to change the planet’s surface. To work this out, they used methods tried and tested here on Earth, where the erosive effect of the rain on the Earth’s surface has important impacts on agriculture and the economy. (1)

Mars used to be a living planet.

But not because rain shaped its valleys.

Earth is a living planet.

Again, not because rain shapes its mountains.

But because poets write about the rain.

Because people sing in the rain.

Because men and women like to just walk in the rain…

Take a good look at that little red dot in the sky.

It was not always red.

You painted it that way…

Keep looking.

Don’t mind the rain.

NASA, Mars, extroverts – A guide to the stars…

As NASA focuses considerable effort on a mission to send humans to Mars in the coming decades, psychology researchers are looking at what types of personalities would work the best together on such a long trip.

Now, a new study finds that on long-term space missions — such as missions to Mars, which could take as long as three years to complete a round trip — having an extrovert on board could have several disadvantages. For example, extroverts tend to be talkative, but their gregarious nature may make them seem intrusive or demanding of attention in confined and isolated environments over the long term, the researchers say. (1)

Most people talk too much.
Most people are afraid to stay alone with themselves.
But staying alone is the only true test of one’s philosophy and composure.
Staying alone is the only true way of talking to the only person that is indeed real.

Stay closed to your self.
And you might get to the stars.
Literally.

Curiosity, microbes, observing.

A recent study of swabs taken from the rover before it launched found its surfaces contained 65 bacteria species. Engineers are supposed to put spacecraft like Curiosity through a stringent cleaning regimen before launch. Yet certain species of bacteria are known to survive even NASA’s cleanrooms. Wondering about what remained on Curiosity even after cleaning, scientists from the University of Idaho and California’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory swabbed different parts of the rover before sending it off. After gathering and characterizing their bacteria, the scientists exposed them to harsh conditions, including desiccation, ultraviolet light exposure, extreme cold and extreme pH levels. About 11 percent of the bacterial strains they found survived at least two conditions. (1)

The premise that we can observe something without affecting it is one of the major dogmas of science today.
Destroying that illusion it is the first step towards the truth.
Realizing that observing something is what makes that something exist is the next step.

Towards understanding what is in front of our eyes.
Which is actually behind them.
Inside our minds I mean.
Well, you know what I mean.
Observe me well.
I am here.
Close your eyes.
I am gone.

Mars here we come!

Mars exploration, culture preservation, priorities…

Creating a permanent human settlement on Mars by 2025 will require serious training. To prepare its future astronauts for the task, the Netherlands-based private spaceflight project Mars One announced its plans to construct Earth-based outposts that replicate the cramped, isolated, crazy-making conditions of a Red Planet colony. (1)

Such projects makes one realize we are having all the wrong priorities. We spend so much time considering what to do with preserving life, that we have forgotten what life is. What is most important in such a mission is not the oxygen supply, but the systems or processes that will keep astronauts sane. The systems or processes that will preserve our culture even when we are going to another planet.

Culture preservation “systems”.
Psychology preservation “systems”.
Life preservation systems.

In descending order of importance…

After all, what is meaning to colonize a different world only as a lifeless set of flesh and bones? It is the culture of Parmenides and Aristotle that Mars needs, not our dead lifeless bodies.

Glenelg, coincidences, “coincidences”…

The infamous martian NASA rover Curiosity has stumbled upon a werid rock [1] on the red planet, while traveling to a place named Glenelg. The rock discovered is of a type called “mugearite”.

And guess what: As the martian rock is near the place named “Glenelg” (the martian Glenelg), Earth’s Mugearite (the place from which the “mugearite” rock type took its name) is equally close to Earth’s Glenelg in Scotland! [2]

Coincidences…

A bad joke of cosmic proportions?

Or the way of the Cosmos to glorify its Unity…?