Among the recent scientific discoveries, one of the most fascinating is a presence of liquid lake on Mars. The scientists found liquid water under the ice caps on the planet. It might be a sign that Mars can have some living organisms after all. Despite the previous reports about water on the planet, it is the largest discovery which is supported by undeniable evidence (Chang & Overbye, 2018). The article describes how exactly scientists were able to obtain the data about water. They used the radar measurement to find a 12-mile-wide lake. The ice caps protect water from dust, radiation, and temperatures which are destructive for living organisms (Chang & Overbye, 2018). Hence, the lake and ice create a comfortable environment for microbes and other organisms to exist.
A topic of planetary exploration seems very exciting, especially, considering the Mars mission which will be completed in several years from now. As a matter of fact, it is also an interesting article because it revolves around the probability of having a new form of life in the Solar System outside the Earth. Therefore, if there are living organisms in the lake on Mars, there can be even more of them on other planets (Chang & Overbye, 2018). The space exploration overall seems a very positive field of science as it keeps looking for new opportunities for humankind to learn about the universe, its laws, and potential ways of development. Additionally, the article is not speculation, but a reliable description of discovery which is based on accurate data.
I fully support the discovery and the scientific activity focused on space research. First of all, it helps to understand the general development of planets, systems, and galaxies. Even though this type of analysis can take years and even decades, still the results are significant for entire humankind (Chang, 2015). Secondly, the space exploration slowly but steadily creates opportunities for people to populate other space objects or to find alternative sources of energy. The field might seem a part of the science-fiction universe; however, it has substantial progress which pushes the boundaries of modern technologies, knowledge, and capabilities of humanity.
The authors of the article provide the reference to an original scientific study. However, the article is an interpretation of scientific findings, it can be even called an adaptation. The original article includes complex diagrams and graphs with the numbers of the radar measurement. At the same time, there are no references which might prove or reject the information. Even though the article might seem to contain unverified information, the status of The New York Times establishes a certain extent of credibility. Typically, such media companies do not want to risk their image to discuss scientific discoveries and they do not publish unverifiable information. Hence, I am sure that the data is reliable and can be used as a credible source.
I need to see some evidence to believe the information when I read a scientific article; however, it also depends on the platform where I read this data. For instance, it is hard to expect a list of references, a well-conducted research on the popular news websites like Forbes or The New York Times. Typically, I expect a brief description of the study with further reference to an original publication. At the same time, if I read articles on the scientific websites like NASA, I need to see the undeniable evidence as it is the original source of information and comes directly from scientists.
References
Chang, K. (2015). Mars shows signs of having flowing water, possible niches for life, NASA says. The New York Times. Web.
Chang, K., & Overbye, D. (2018). A large body of water on Mars is detected, raising the potential for alien life.The New York Times. Web.