“Disappeared?”
Jinling launch site.
When Lu Zhou heard the report about the seismic structure, he almost stood up from his desk in surprise.
Director Chang Hezhi looked at the surprised expression on Lu Zhou’s face. He nodded with a weird expression.
“That’s right… According to the mission log updated by our Mars scientific research station, our scientific research personnel sent a rover to the target area, but when they arrived at the fractured structure, they found that there was nothing there.
“It’s like… it disappeared overnight.”
The fractured structure more than ten meters deep disappeared overnight?
Lu Zhou had never heard of such a ridiculous thing before.
“Was there a sandstorm that night?”
“Sandstorms occur all the time on Mars, but even if it was a sandstorm, it would be impossible to fill a dozen meters deep fractured structure overnight… This is what Dr. Fan recorded in the work log.”
Lu Zhou said, “Tell me what else he said.”
Director Chang Hezhi shook his head and said, “Nothing else, that’s all he said about the fault structure. Also, there’s an application for the publication of a paper. He hopes to make this amazing geological discovery public and let more people analyze this magical phenomenon.”
The scientific research funding of the Mars landing plan mainly came from China. The scientific research results produced by the scientific research activities on Mars belonged to the Mars landing plan office collectively. Therefore, if they wanted to publish the scientific research results, they must apply and get approval from the Mars landing plan office.
But under normal circumstances, the kind of research project that did not involve sensitive experimental content was a walk in the park. The Mars landing plan office certainly hoped that they could produce more valuable results so that their investment in the Mars project would be worth their money.
After thinking for a moment, Lu Zhou nodded.
“Just do as he said.”
Although Lu Zhou felt that it was too sloppy to publish this discovery now and that it might be more rigorous to publish it after finding more clues, Dr. Fan was right.
After all, one man’s power was small, and one brain was not as reliable as tens of millions of brains. If more people could participate in this field, there could be more hope of solving the problem.
Lu Zhou looked at the work log in his hand, at the coordinates of 14.7° south latitude and 128° west longitude. His index finger gently swept across this line.
“Speaking of which, what is the name of the mountain next to this fractured structure?”
Director Chang Hezhi: “If I remember correctly, according to the naming of the International Astronomical Union… Its name seems to come from a piece of art.”
“Artwork?”
“The Gates of Hell, the author is Auguste Rodin…” Director Chang Hezhi said.
The Gates of Hell…
This name is a bit suspicious.
That ominous premonition once again surfaced in Lu Zhou’s heart.
“This name is a bit unlucky.” Lu Zhou picked up the pen from the desk and wrote a line next to the copy of the work log. He handed it back to Director Chang Hezhi and said, “Change the name to this.”
“Outlier 128?”
“Yeah.” Lu Zhou looked at Director Chang Hezhi and said, “Raise the priority of this research project to level A. If there are any new discoveries, report it to me immediately.”
…
Ever since the failure of the last “New Virginia” plan, due to the pressure from the public and funding, NASA had suspended more than 90% of its projects on Mars.
Even though NASA still hadn’t recovered, it did not mean that they had given up their desire for Mars so willingly.
It was just that everything became rational again.
NASA High Resolution Imaging Science Laboratory.
This was the command center for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Curiosity rover, and it was also the only research team in the entire NASA that still focused on Mars.
“Latest research materials.”
Professor Astark threw a document on the desk. He looked at the middle-aged man with glasses sitting behind the desk and continued, “I don’t know if you’ve read it before, but I suggest you take a good look.”
“The latest research materials?”
Professor Comiton reached out and picked up the document. He glanced at it briefly.
However, when his eyes moved down the document, and he saw the photo attached to the text, his expression suddenly became strange.
“Seismic structures… have disappeared after they appeared? How is this possible?”
“I also think it’s very… unbelievable.” Professor Astark continued looking at Professor Comiton and said, “But planetary geology is not my research direction. I want to know how you think about this.”
“What do I think? What can I say, they’re the ones who are on Mars… If they are right, then we are wrong. The geological activity of Mars is still quite active, and the core has not yet cooled. That is the only explanation. Or there might also be a special local tectonic movement that allowed the fractured structure to heal overnight? This sounds like a supernatural event.”
Professor Comiton pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose. He sat up straight and said, “To be honest… Aren’t these two photos photoshopped?”
The geological activity of Mars had ceased. This was a conclusion obtained through rigorous scientific analysis based on thermal radiation images taken by NASA.
All clues pointed to the fact that the geological activity of Mars had completely ceased, and the magma in the core had completely cooled.
This was a dead planet; there was no possibility of plate movement, let alone earthquakes or cracks caused by earthquakes.
At least not in the last few billion years.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to think he was wrong.
It was just that, photoshopping a photo in the academic community wasn’t something that was unprecedented.
“I have looked for a third-party inspection agency to analyze it. At least according to the electronic files they updated on their official website, there are no obvious traces of changes in the photos… Of course, it does not rule out techniques that are so clever that we can’t detect them.”
“Regardless, this is unbelievable.” Professor Comiton sighed after putting the research materials on the table. After a long period of contemplation, he said, “It would be nice if I could go to the site and take a look.”
A bitter smile appeared on Professor Astark’s face.
Take a look on Mars…
That’s very unlikely.
The best way is to stand on Earth and look tens of millions of kilometers into the sky.
However, while the two of them were looking at the information with a headache, a voice suddenly came from the door.
“In fact, it might be possible.”
The two men raised their heads and looked toward the door.
Director Carson walked into the office.
“Sorry, I unintentionally eavesdropped on your conversation, but your voice was too loud. I’m here to find Professor Comiton for something…”
Director Carson shrugged, coughed lightly, and continued, “Due to well-known reasons, the White House intends to repair relations with China, and according to what I have learned, the two sides have reached agreements on many remaining issues… Of course, we do not need to worry about these things. The main thing is that the Chinese side agrees that for the next batch of people going to Mars, they will reserve about 1 or 2 international cooperative scientific research personnel.”
Professor Astark froze for a moment and spoke hesitantly.
“In other words… We can take the Chinese ride to Mars?”
“You could say that, but I hope you can understand it as a kind of scientific research cooperation; a win-win situation…”
Director Carson looked at Professor Comiton with a serious expression on his face.
“I heard that you seem to be very interested in geological research on Mars?”
“That’s right…”
Professor Comiton had a slight hesitation on his face. Carson threw out a proposal.
“In that case, Professor Comiton…
“Would you like to go to Mars as a demonstration of the long-term friendship between the two countries?”
