Posthuman Blues

No, I'm not indulging in baseless conspiracy theory in my article on the true color of the Martian sky. Although I didn't explicitly mention it, there's at least one on-the-record statement from a NASA scientist who watched JPL personnel fiddling with the contrast controls back when the Viking probes landed -- evidently to make sure everything looked nice and "Martian."





Mars is obviously far from an ecological paradise. But JPL has repeatedly dodged the prospect of an extant Martian biosphere, relying on a laughably complacent public who leaves important questions to the experts. Perhaps the operators of ESA's Mars Express will prove more democratic.

On a similar note, have you noticed how the subject of space science is inevitably tarred by the "smirk factor" in the mainstream media? You're reading an article about the Spirit rover in your daily paper and out of nowhere is a reference to "Little Green Men." Or flying saucers or something similarly kitschy.

On a fairly deep cultural level, we're rather afraid of space and its implications of vastness and potential cosmic catastrophe. So we sugar-coat even the most fact-driven space news stories with strategic condescending references. Nothing blatant; just enough. It makes the transition to the next must-read article about pedophile priests or has-been pop-stars that much easier.