We're drowning in evidence of past water on Mars. This is planetary radio. Radio. Here's the big news, now almost a week old.

There was water on them their planes.

The Mars Exploration Rover Science team made the announcement at a NASA headquarters press conference

on Tuesday, March 2nd.

Ben Clark was one of those with the TV cameras pointed at him,

and he's our guest today.

Then it'll be Bruce Betts with a rollicking what's up,

including our newest planetary trivia contest.

By the way, those of you who entered the contest, or dropped us a line last week, need to know

that we had a little email problem.

We don't think we lost any of your entries or letters, but if you were expecting a reply and

don't see it, please blame the fickle gods of the Internet.

Let's get on to our conversation with Ben Clark.

In addition to being part of the rover science team, this longtime planetary researcher

is also chief scientist of Space Exploration for Lockheed Martin Space Systems

Astronautics Operations in Denver. He's at JPL near Pasadena for the

duration and that's where we caught him right after a long shift

on Mars time.

Ben Clark, I almost have the impression that we should just spend the next 20 minutes

jumping up and down and shouting there was water on Mars

and there was liquid water on Mars but but let's be a little more substantive than that

nevertheless you guys must have been celebrating before, during, and after that press conference

...