What Nasa has to gain

[Dowser]

Does anyone know what Richard Hoagland has said about what Nasa has to gain from denying the existence of past life on Mars. It seem to me if Nasa could show past life in any form on Mars, a lot of money would start flowing their way.

Keith

[tofu]

It seem to me if Nasa could show past life in any form on Mars, a lot of money would start flowing their way.

I totally agree. If there was life on Mars, there would probably be a big push to do a manned mission. NASA stands to gain enormous funding if they can find life somewhere.

Look at this from Hoagland's perspective though. He staked his entire reputation on the idea that there was advanced life on Mars, and that it had built giant pyramids and carved faces into mountains. When Mars Global Surveyor came along and took high-res pictures of Cydonia showing there was nothing there, what was he supposed to do? It would take a very big man to admit that everything he had done for 10 years was a lie. I don't know that I could face it either.

[Drakheim]

I totally agree. If there was life on Mars, there would probably be a big push to do a manned mission. NASA stands to gain enormous funding if they can find life somewhere.

I agree too, if life was found on Mars, especially living life, there would be a HUGE surge of money to send a manned mission there. It would probably be one of the only times in my life that I wouldnt complain about a tax increase either.

[Glom]

Of course, the reasoning is circular. He needs NASA to have some inexplicable motivations for covering up a great discovery because in light of lack of evidence, he still needs some way to cling onto his predetermined conclusions.

Evidence of life on Mars => life on Mars.
No evidence of life on Mars => cover up => life on Mars.

That's tautological.

[TinFoilHat]

It's because NASA is a part of/controlled by the reptilian alien/illuminati/masonic/satanic grand conspiracy whose goal is to keep everyone in the dark about the alien cities that cover the moon and mars. They stage the obviously faked missions in an attempt to convince the public that the rest of the solar system is lifeless and boring. Anyone who says otherwise is obviouslt part of the conspiracy.

[Manchurian Taikonaut]

nothing to gain..but let me put a twist on it, here's what is said...Foolish people like to freak themselves out with the yeti, area 51, bigfoot type conspiracy...big-foot wasn't he just some man wearing a padded monkey costume and got lost on his way to a halloween party? NASA of course has tonnes of evidence LOL :^o , but can't let it out because these people might start running around bumping their head, or going round in circles like those headless chickens during the War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

[N C More]

Of course, the reasoning is circular. He needs NASA to have some inexplicable motivations for covering up a great discovery because in light of lack of evidence, he still needs some way to cling onto his predetermined conclusions.

Mr. Hoagland needs this endless repetition in order to stay in the limelight, continue public appearances, sell books and videos...basically profit from the nonsense. Notice how his "predictions" are set up to make him look good regardless of outcome. He's basically just a "new age" charlatan, he's not even remotely interested in the truth...period.

[gethen]

This is the same argument that works for those who believe the government is hiding evidence of alien landings here on earth. Why would they do it? Wouldn't they benefit from the increased funding they'd get if they were actually fighting alien invaders?

[TinFoilHat]

Here's another explanation I've heard from otherwise apparantly rational people:

The sudden announcement of the discovery of alien life would shatter everyone's worldview and force the end of most of the world's religions. (Why that's so, I've never been able to get a satisfactory answer to). So, to prevent mass rioting and the end of civilization as we know it, the government is suppressing evidence of alien life. Optionally, depending on who you ask, they may be deliberately leaking it a bit at a time to get people used to the idea slowly.

[Spacewriter]

Well, just to be waggish and not to start a politico-religious discussion, but we aren't exactly doing too well WITH a world full of differing religious beliefs, so how exactly would the "end" of all that be a problem?

Methinks that the fear of an end to religious beliefs says more about those who fear it than the actuality would suggest.

Of course I'm an atheist, so go figure...

[Evil_Bomber]

One of the points that I heard was that JPL (which handles most of Nasa's robotic missions) would be hurt if intelligent life was found because any new funding (and probably a good amount of existing funds) would be directed to manned exploration.

Not that I believe it, I'm just forwarding what I've heard.

[Glom]

Then it can hardly be considered a NASA conspiracy. NASA would love a manned program.

[Sigma_Orionis]

It's because NASA is a part of/controlled by the reptilian alien/illuminati/masonic/satanic grand conspiracy whose goal is to keep everyone in the dark about the alien cities that cover the moon and mars. They stage the obviously faked missions in an attempt to convince the public that the rest of the solar system is lifeless and boring. Anyone who says otherwise is obviouslt part of the conspiracy.

You forgot the templars

[Supreme_Martian_Overlord]

Regarding the War of the Worlds panic.... it's now claimed by several historians that the panic itself was a media hoax!

[Bill Dunaway]

One of the points that I heard was that JPL (which handles most of Nasa's robotic missions) would be hurt if intelligent life was found because any new funding (and probably a good amount of existing funds) would be directed to manned exploration.

Except that manned missions would require an ambitious program of unmanned probes to scout ahead. There was a 17 year gap between the launch of the Viking missions and the failed Mars Observer and a 21 year gap between Viking and the succesful Pathfinder. NASA didn't launch a single unmanned probe to any planet between 1978 and 1988. If Viking had found proof of intelligent life on MARS, there would not have been such a long gap. JPL had proposed more Viking missions for the late 70's, but they were cancelled due to the failure of to find proof of life. Exciting discoveries on Mars would guarantee a bigger budget for the entire agency.

[SciFi Chick]

The sudden announcement of the discovery of alien life would shatter everyone's worldview and force the end of most of the world's religions.

What I've never understood is why they think everyone would riot. When my worldview was shattered by overwhelming evidence, it made me feel free and happy.

[DJ]

well, not all alien life will be friendly. so maybe we know just how mean alien life can be, and we're not interested in scaring people.

also, the societies that control the world use their religions to educate (create the memes) that bring about our daily life. external life threatens the notion of man's overall relationship with godliness, his uniqueness of being made in god's image. since the memes rely on man's belief of his closeness of relationship with god, pandemonium would ensue if intelligent life other than man were to be discovered.