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Here's the latest article from the Astronomy site at BellaOnline.com.

Robert Hooke - England's Leonardo
In the 17th century Robert Hooke produced a revolutionary bestseller, helped rebuild London after the Great Fire, and was a renowned experimenter, inventor, musician and artist. Hooke contributed to astronomy, geology, structural engineering and chemistry. He was 'England's Leonardo'.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art301867.asp

*Water on Mars – now!*
The number of times NASA has made the great discovery of water on Mars is only matched, I think, by the number of times Voyager has left the Solar System: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/voyager_1.png However in the past the discoveries were, for example, (1) indirect evidence (2) water frozen in the polar caps (3) geochemical evidence. But they now say they have evidence of surface water, which is able to exist because its high salt content lowers the freezing point.

If there is now - not just in the distant past - running water on Mars, it means there is a greater possibility that there is life there.

These long streaks are inferred to have been formed by contemporary flowing water. (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona): http://www.iflscience.com/sites/www.iflscience.com/files/styles/ifls_large/public/blog/%5Bnid%5D/Perspective_1.jpg?itok=HHGKubMU

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I wish you clear skies.

Mona Evans, Astronomy Editor
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