QUESTION:  
What is your favorite thing about studying Mars? 

ANSWER from Jack Farmer on February 25, 1997:
I think my favorite thing about studying Mars is the sense of adventure.
We don't know very much about Mars, and yet it could hold important clues
about life, both life here on our own planet and possibly, life elsewhere
in or solar system or beyond.  Although Mars is an extreme environment
compared to Earth, it is not so foreign a place that we can't imagine how
to go about exploring for life.  It probably has water deep underground
today that could sustain life, and it undoubtedly had water at the surface
billions of years ago at a time life when life was just getting started on
Earth.  So it is quite easy to use our imagination, our knowledge of
biology and paleontology, and basic scientific principles to predict where
life could be now, or may have been in the past.  The adventure comes in
actually trying to test out those ideas by carrying out well planned and
executed missions.  I find this adventure to be both exciting and fun, and
it makes me want to rush into the office each day and keep the quest alive!
 - Jack  Farmer