
Batphone, that is.
"Hello, Mr. President? We have water and fart gas [Methane] on Mars. That's right. Water and fart gas! This could be the clue we are looking for to explain the Universe."
http://www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/life-mars-white-house-briefed
Now, could they really be calling the freakin' White House? Probably not a serious story. Someone at least thinks the most scant evidence of life possible is worth talking about.The White House has been alerted by NASA about plans to make an announcement soon on major new Phoenix lander discoveries concerning the "potential for life" on Mars. Sources say the new data do not indicate the discovery of existing or past life on Mars. Rather the data relates to habitability--the "potential" for Mars to support life--at the Phoenix arctic landing site.
International news media trumpeted the water ice confirmation, which was not a surprise to any of the Phoenix researchers. "They have discovered water on Mars for the third or fourth time," one senior Mars scientists joked about the hubbub around the water ice announcement.
The other data not discussed openly yet are far more "provocative," Phoenix officials say.
We all know they think they are going to make some case for abiogenesis or some other origins of life theory. But, does anyone really think they are getting anywhere?
I think the following is far better evidence of something interesting on Mars:

What would really be interesting would be the following:
"Jenkins, activitate the Zippo on the Phoenix Lander and see if we can blow this heap up!"
We all know that NASA scientists learned their misdirected sense of curiosity experimenting with campfires. That why we probably know all about whether dung beetles can mate in zero gravity.
This is all about half-serious, by the way.
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