From: gossg@gossg.org   
      
   Alain Fournier  wrote:   
      
   >>> Compaired to Earths atmosphere, Mars is more like outter space, a vacuum.   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> Not the definition of 'vacuum'.  By your definition Creed, Colorado,   
   >> is a 'vacuum', since the atmospheric pressure there is closer to space   
   >> than it is to sea level.   
   >   
   >Of course Mars' atmosphere isn't a vacuum.   
   > ... Only 6 mountains in   
   >North America are high enough to have an average pressure less than half   
   >of the average pressure at sea level.   
      
   Right.  Nobody's going to be breathing it.  It's a resource, from   
   which you "mine" carbon, oxygen and trace stuff by throwing energy at   
   it.  Running a Mars colony is, indeed, going to need vast quantities   
   of high-quality energy.   
      
   But you can't mine vacuum, so the distinction between Mars atmosphere   
   and a true vacuum is important.   
   --   
   We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)