Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Confirmation that the Beagle 2 space probe has been found intact on the surface of Mars should warm the heart of anybody who cares about scientific progress.
The project was masterminded by the charismatic Dr Colin Pillinger, who died last year, and was portrayed from the outset as having something of the Heath Robinson about it. The spacecraft’s presumed destruction in a high-powered impact with the Red Planet on Christmas Day 2003 became symbolic of a certain kind of British eccentricity, which hopes for the best but cannot be trusted to deliver.
In reality, the Beagle 2 mission was always a thoroughly serious undertaking, and the science behind it was a great deal more sophisticated than was occasionally declared. To discover that it came so close to achieving its goals is a testament to the endeavour of Pillinger and his team.
More than that, the news reminds us of the need to accept that the advancement of science does not always follow a smooth path and that failures are frequently an integral feature of ultimate success. For every absurd theory, there develops a counter-theory. From every botched experiment, there comes a new question. Even the most terrible disasters – from Challenger to Bluebird, from the Sinclair C5 to Chernobyl – teach us something that will improve the chances of getting it right next time.
The Beagle 2’s launch more than a decade ago stirred a remarkable degree of interest. Its rediscovery should inspire afresh, and encourage a new generation to think beyond the limits of their own experience. Indeed, since scientific disciplines are surely vital to Britain’s future economic security, it is crucial that the exhilarating work of people such as Colin Pillinger be held up as an example of how science progresses, not how it stalls. After all, it is one of life’s earliest lessons: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments