Astro-image of the Day: White Rock" on Mars

Here's a fascinating feature that the Mars Odyssey Mission has discovered on Mars:

Click the image to see the story.

It's called, "White Rock." At first, scientists hypothesized that this was a big salt deposit from an ancient Martian ocean, but they soon discovered that wasn't it, either. Right now they have no good answer, but some people hypothesize that it's olivine, one of the most-abundant minerals in the Solar System. It's a pretty crystal when whole, but reacts with CO₂ and crushes easily, leaving - basically - clay-like mud afterward.

Here's a cool 3D view of White Rock:

Click the image to see the story.

Best,
Chris

Astro-image of the Day: White Rock" on Mars

Here's a fascinating feature that the Mars Odyssey Mission has discovered on Mars:

Click the image to see the story.

It's called, "White Rock." At first, scientists hypothesized that this was a big salt deposit from an ancient Martian ocean, but they soon discovered that wasn't it, either. Right now they have no good answer, but some people hypothesize that it's olivine, one of the most-abundant minerals in the Solar System. It's a pretty crystal when whole, but reacts with CO₂ and crushes easily, leaving - basically - clay-like mud afterward.

Here's a cool 3D view of White Rock:

Click the image to see the story.

Best,
Chris

basketball

So many of you made good arguments (in response to my anti-college-sports post) about how athletics help universities. I buy it, though I still don't like how much energy colleges expend on such non-academic activity.

Last Saturday, I did watch - with starstraf, Pooch, Jony and Chelsie, and jamer_31 and his girls - KU trounce all over North Carolina, and I'll be watching as KU plays their final enemy of the year (Memphis, I believe).

Rock Chalk Jayhalk! Go KU! (Click to hear the history of the chant.)

Click the Jayhawk to see the story of the name, "Jayhawk."

(There, am I absolved? *g*)

Best,
Chris

basketball

So many of you made good arguments (in response to my anti-college-sports post) about how athletics help universities. I buy it, though I still don't like how much energy colleges expend on such non-academic activity.

Last Saturday, I did watch - with starstraf, Pooch, Jony and Chelsie, and jamer_31 and his girls - KU trounce all over North Carolina, and I'll be watching as KU plays their final enemy of the year (Memphis, I believe).

Rock Chalk Jayhalk! Go KU! (Click to hear the history of the chant.)

Click the Jayhawk to see the story of the name, "Jayhawk."

(There, am I absolved? *g*)

Best,
Chris