Red Planet, Yellow Journalism

LIFE ON MARS!!!!! says the headline. By which they mean, “Methane on Mars”.

In fact, they still don’t know if there is life on Mars. They merely speculate that methane is being generated by microbes, though it might be generated by something else.

If it does turn out to be life, this will be a discovery of world-historical significance, right up there with the invention of the wheel. I hope it turns out to be so, simply because I’m a big kid and life on Mars would be way cool.

Expect a spate of chin-pullers from various sources, wondering how religious believers can possibly think our provincial understanding of God caring about the sand-grain called “earth” can be anything other than egoism, now that we know that the universe is populated with gazillions of Romulans and Vulcans who all laugh at our pathetically childish belief in a deity. Journalists love that sort of thing.

Meanwhile, I suggest the rest of us find out whether there’s actually, like, any microbes on Mars. We still don’t have any idea.