Why Explore Mars?

In a speech entitled "Martian Meteorites and Modern Science," NSF Director Neal F. Lane shared with his audience "two stories about science in America today--stories about how science and technology are revolutionizing our world and how we see our place in it."

Meteorite from Mars
"The first of these stories concerns the now famous meteorite, ALH84001, from Mars and the possibility--and I stress the possibility--that it contains fossils from ancient microbial life forms. This is an exciting story with potential implications that reach well beyond science and into philosophy and perhaps theology."    More...

Environments on Other Planets and Earth One and the Same?
What do boiling-hot fissures in the earth's crust, the insides of airplane fuel tanks, vast expanses of ice in Antarctica, and the parched sands of baking deserts have in common with environments on other planets? Scientists taking part in a new National Science Foundation (NSF) funding initiative, Life in Extreme Environments (LExEn), hope soon to discover answers.   
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To follow the exploits of the Mars Pathfinder, see: http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/

Internet Moves Toward Privatization;
IP Numbers Handled By Non-profit
The National Science Foundation has announced an action that moves the Internet toward privatization. Internet Protocol (IP) number assignments will soon be handled by a non-profit organization. The NSF has approved a plan from Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI) establishing the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). Under the plan, ARIN would assume full responsibility for IP number assignments and related administrative tasks previously handled by NSI. The shift is expected to be fully implemented before March 1998.    More...

New "Child Indicators" Report
Offers Data to Track Children's Well-Being
The Federal Agency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released a new report that offers a composite picture of the well-being of the nation's children. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is one of eight agencies contributing to the report, America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being. The report presents 25 key indicators on critical aspects of children's lives, including their behavior and social environment, economic security, education, and health.    More...

Radio Telescopes in the New Movie
"Contact" Dish Up Real Science
In the new movie "Contact," an astronomer, played by actress Jodie Foster, uses massive, Earth-bound radio telescopes to search for signs of extraterrestrial life. Much of Contact's scientific intrigue, based on Carl Sagan's 1985 bestseller, unfolds at two National Science Foundation-supported radio astronomy facilities where real-life astronomical mysteries continue to be probed.    More...