I Don't Work for NASA Anymore...
...so I'm allowed to laugh:
Yes, NASA did botch the announcement by (once again) putting out a cryptic media alert that invited speculation and not doing enough to tone down expectations. Because I know NASAese, I was never under the impression that they were going to announce the discovery of extraterrestrial life, but I can see how others came to that conclusion.
The identification of bacteria that can metabolize arsenic is a really cool discovery, and will, in fact, re-shape how we look for extraterrestrial life (and life on this planet, for that matter). But arsenic-loving life has been a widely accepted theory for some time now, and its confirmation didn't warrant the hoopla the press office whipped up.
I really appreciate that Randall Munroe can make me laugh instead of festering in my lingering frustration.
Yes, NASA did botch the announcement by (once again) putting out a cryptic media alert that invited speculation and not doing enough to tone down expectations. Because I know NASAese, I was never under the impression that they were going to announce the discovery of extraterrestrial life, but I can see how others came to that conclusion.
The identification of bacteria that can metabolize arsenic is a really cool discovery, and will, in fact, re-shape how we look for extraterrestrial life (and life on this planet, for that matter). But arsenic-loving life has been a widely accepted theory for some time now, and its confirmation didn't warrant the hoopla the press office whipped up.
I really appreciate that Randall Munroe can make me laugh instead of festering in my lingering frustration.