Mars

So, the newest set of Seven Wonders of the World has been voted upon. They’re all things that humans built, which is great. But, there are other wonders out there, as Q might say, enough to satiate even the most jaded soul. Im calling mine the Seven Wonders of the Universe, and I’m going to post my list over the next 7 entries.

Yes, I know I just talked about Mars a couple of entries ago. So, it’s not surprising, is it, that I’d think Mars is one of the seven wonders of the universe. Here’s why: water. No, there’s not any obvious water there now flowing in rivers, or lying around in ponds or lakes or oceans. But, there IS water in the ice caps and most likely locked underground as permafrost. And, the evidence for past water action is all over the surface of this dry and dusty desert planet.

The Mars rovers are excavating and exploring the surface of the planet, turning over all kinds of rock and mineral evidence for the existence of water (flowing and otherwise) on Mars now and in the past. Just looking at Mars through the eyes of these rovers (and the Pathfinder before it, and the orbiting mappers and imagers we have there now) is a kind of secondary wonder that defines our modern age of technology.

So, I give you Mars. One of the seven wonders of the universe because it is teaching us a lot about other rocky planets, giving us insight into our own planet, and showing us a possible place for future human exploration.