NASA recently reported photographic evidence indicating that water may occasionally rise to the surface on Mars. Of course, the excitement among scientists centers on the possibility of what water allows, the possibility of past life on the planet.
Pictures originally taken in 1999 have been compared to new images taken in September of 2005, showing a definite change. Though it is possible the changes in the image can be attributed to frost, or even movement of soil, the explanation that most intrigues scientists is that the deposits are the result of water bursting to the surface, and momentarily running down the hill either before freezing, or evaporating to leave mineral deposits behind.
For there to be life on Mars, most scientists believe there must be liquid water. If liquid water is found on Mars, then it may be in the past the Martian environment was more conducive to life, and we might could find further evidence that life (at least microscopic) existed on another planet in our solar system.
I find it interesting that there is such an obsession in science to find out how life originated. I may be missing something, but there seems to be no practical benefit to such knowledge.
We listen to the stars, look through large telescopes, send out robotic probes, all to find life elsewhere in the universe. Other than developing the technology to power these efforts, such a search in no way benefits man. In fact, it seems that the primary impetus that is powering such a search is to simply convince “the great unwashed” that the Bible is not true.
The Bible makes the claim, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The atheist and evolutionist can not accept such a statement, and so billions and billions of dollars (better spent in curing sickness, feeding the poor and helping mankind) are spent to find out if there is life “out there.”
I doubt that man will ever find any life “out there.” Certainly not any intelligent life. The Bible is silent about such things, but I think we can intimate because of God’s redemptive work that we are the only beings existing in His creation that have souls.
What I do know is that if we spend untold billions, and find another piece of rock out there that has liquid H2O and microscopic squigglies swimming around, it will be because God created them. And, though such a discovery will have little if any practical use to mankind, it will be trumpeted as a great victory for “science.” And it will change nothing.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
