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[MetalSlimeHunt]

Actually smelling them is pretty likely - the most prevalent smells are made of really simple compounds, the likes of which you'll probably find in extraterrestrial carbon-based life as well. Indeed our sense of smell is practically made for detecting any random molecule that happens to float onto our receptors...

Well, we know that things which are exposed to vacuum inexplicably smell like gunpowder when returned to atmosphere. So that's something.

[alway]

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/what-does-space-smell
Not inexplicable at all; and the smell will vary with where you are.

Allamandola explains that our solar system is particularly pungent because it is rich in carbon and low in oxygen, and "just like a car, if you starve it of oxygen you start to see black soot and get a foul smell." Oxygen-rich stars, however, have aromas reminiscent of a charcoal grill. Once you leave our galaxy, the smells can get really interesting. In dark pockets of the universe, molecular clouds full of tiny dust particles host a veritable smorgasbord of odors, from wafts of sweet sugar to the rotten-egg stench of sulfur.

[Lagslayer]

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/what-does-space-smell
Not inexplicable at all; and the smell will vary with where you are.

Allamandola explains that our solar system is particularly pungent because it is rich in carbon and low in oxygen, and "just like a car, if you starve it of oxygen you start to see black soot and get a foul smell." Oxygen-rich stars, however, have aromas reminiscent of a charcoal grill. Once you leave our galaxy, the smells can get really interesting. In dark pockets of the universe, molecular clouds full of tiny dust particles host a veritable smorgasbord of odors, from wafts of sweet sugar to the rotten-egg stench of sulfur.

Someone really needs to invent the smelloscope. Just don't point it at Uranus.

[kaian-a-coel]

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/what-does-space-smell
Not inexplicable at all; and the smell will vary with where you are.

Allamandola explains that our solar system is particularly pungent because it is rich in carbon and low in oxygen, and "just like a car, if you starve it of oxygen you start to see black soot and get a foul smell." Oxygen-rich stars, however, have aromas reminiscent of a charcoal grill. Once you leave our galaxy, the smells can get really interesting. In dark pockets of the universe, molecular clouds full of tiny dust particles host a veritable smorgasbord of odors, from wafts of sweet sugar to the rotten-egg stench of sulfur.

Someone really needs to invent the smelloscope. Just don't point it at Uranus.

Interestingly, the atmospheric composition of Uranus is mostly Methan, hydrogen and ammonia. Pretty much the same as farts, except for the sulfure thingies.

[10ebbor10]

Some people might remember that phoneblocks idea thingy.

Motorola (google owned) picked it up.

[Dutchling]

Some people might remember that phoneblocks idea thingy.

Motorola (google owned) picked it up.

If it actually runs Android I might actually want one.

[Descan]

Sweet!

Depending on how expensive it is (And, yes, android) I might get one. Just need GPS and talk/text, so.

[MonkeyHead]

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/what-does-space-smell
Not inexplicable at all; and the smell will vary with where you are.

Allamandola explains that our solar system is particularly pungent because it is rich in carbon and low in oxygen, and "just like a car, if you starve it of oxygen you start to see black soot and get a foul smell." Oxygen-rich stars, however, have aromas reminiscent of a charcoal grill. Once you leave our galaxy, the smells can get really interesting. In dark pockets of the universe, molecular clouds full of tiny dust particles host a veritable smorgasbord of odors, from wafts of sweet sugar to the rotten-egg stench of sulfur.

Someone really needs to invent the smelloscope. Just don't point it at Uranus.

Interestingly, the atmospheric composition of Uranus is mostly Methan, hydrogen and ammonia. Pretty much the same as farts, except for the sulfure thingies.

Uranus also has pretty extreme winds - no shit.

Sorry...

[10ebbor10]

Invisibility cloak.

[kaian-a-coel]

European space agency intends to send a probe bury itself into Europe's (the moon) polar ice in the late 20ies. Only three meters deep, sadly, not all the way through (another mission is being planned to measure the ice thickness by the way).
But the real catch is how they plan to send a probe through three meters of outer space ice.
By ramming the shit out of it.
The 20kg probe, instead of landing carefully and gently like those 'murican and russian pussies, is going straight to the ground and will perform a proper lithobraking, survive 24.000 g of deceleration, and then perform !!science!!
If the mission is a success, other missions might be launched to similarly penetrate Mars and the moon with interplanetary science-bullets.

[Descan]

Waaaait, so they're planning on going all the way out to EuropA as a test-run? And THEN do it on the moon?

The thing that we can see from earth rather easily?

You'd think they'd wanna do a test run on the Moon, rather than on a moon so far out.

[Gentlefish]

So uh. We're effectively carrying out a pre-emptive strike on Europa using a high-velocity railgun?

Can I hitch a ride?

[10ebbor10]

IIRC, the plan was to send multiple drones at once, in order to provide a bit of redundancy if one the probe fails.

[Sheb]

Dang, and I though it was KSP, not the ESA, who was doing that kind of ridiculous lithobraking. Now, I can get why they want to do it on Europa: 1) Ice could be easier to get in than the rocks of the Moon (Dunno exactly, I'm not an expert on the properties on ice at very low temperatures) and more important, we already know the Moon pretty well. You know, been there, done that.


In less joyous news: Japan is cutting his reduction targets from 25% below 1990% levels to 3% above 1990 levels. Thank you antinuclear activists.

[10ebbor10]

The cost might have to do something with it. I mean, sending a probe on a long journey to Europa isn't that much more expensive, especially if you really take your time.

Also, ESA. EVA's something else entirely.

Edit: I'm pretty sure that the nuclear situation in Japan will be turned around pretty soon, and we'll see reactivation as soon as the population realizes what massive effects a shutdown has on the economy.