Seth Shostak: Martians? Ho Hum.

Seth Shostak: Martians? Ho Hum.: "Here's a news flash: scientists can be wrong.

That's no big deal (unless the scientist is you), since research is self-correcting. Consequently, most errors by scientists become historical curiosities, with little long-term importance.

But some research flubs can have a silver lining. Exhibit A: the famous canals on Mars.

The century-old claims that our little ruddy buddy was veined with a network of waterways turned out to be false. Today, we know that the actual martian landscape is a cratered, howling wasteland. But this false premise demonstrated something important - something that people have forgotten; namely, that the public won't go nuts if we find intelligent life in space."