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MARSLIFE found in Clinton area lakes

Clinton news
14006100mileWEB_clintonMARSproject
The Mobile Mission Command Centre for the MARSLIFE Research Project arrived in Clinton on July 14.

After three DeepWorker (submersible vessel) seasons at Pavilion Lake, the MARSLIFE project is moving to Kelly Lake, just west of Clinton.

According to its website, both Pavilion and Kelly lakes have microbialites (ancient microorganism deposits in sediment at the bottom of the lakes) with similar shapes.

The MARSLIFE Analogue Research Project was lowered into Kelly Lake on July 15.  With the use of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) researchers will conduct high-resolution geoacoustic mapping of the MARSLIFE field site in the lake.

This time anyone with an Internet connection will be able to contribute directly to the scientific outcome of the project.

By signing up to become a member of the Remote Science Team through MAPPER, a new web-based interface for exploring the lake bottom, people can work with project scientists to categorize and map the quantity, distribution and types of various features found in the lake.

Generating this type of “feature map” for Pavilion and Kelly lakes is important since it can help scientists figure out where life may have once existed on Mars and in other parts of the solar system.

The idea behind MAPPER is that if a lot of people contribute just a little bit of time to tagging the photos the job will be completed much faster. It is also a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in the Research Project, science or space exploration to be directly involved in the outcome of the project.

More details about MAPPER are available online at www.getmapper.com.

 

Clinton CiB

A lot of people think Communities in Bloom (CiB) is just all about flowers, and it is that but so much more.

There are seven criteria the judges will be evaluating. These include overall tidiness of the community; environmental action (recycling, alternative energy, water conservation, etc.); community involvement (volunteers and Clinton has numerous dedicated groups, organizations and members); heritage conservation (both the history of the area and the use of heritage or heirloom plants); urban forestry (tree inventory, management, plantings, etc.); landscapes, including turf and ground covers and floral displays.

The CiB program encourages tidiness and beautification and instills a sense of pride in our community. It networks various organizations for the common good, promotes excellence in environmental initiatives and can be a catalyst to inventory the community's assets. The judges' evaluation report is a cost-effective measurement of success.

Two CiB judges will be in Clinton on July 21-22. There will be a welcoming potluck barbecue at 5:30 p.m. in Reg Conn Centennial Park on July 21 and the judges will be touring the community the next day.