They wave it about a lot, thats true, but you sound like you mean that evidence that might be taken as pointing toward life or habitablility isn't science.
Quote:
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NASA will hold a science update at 2 p.m. EST, Thursday, Jan. 15, to discuss analysis of the Martian atmosphere that raises the possibility of life or geologic activity.
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Extrordinary claims need extraordinary evidence, but I don't find much extraordinary about that quote. 'Nasa finds life on mars' would be extraordinary, this is more 'we've found something that might be a sign of either active geology or life, maybe'. That it's to do with methane seems to be a pretty commonsense conclusion.
Nasa is looking for evidence of life and clues to lifes origins, thats a big thing to them, I can't blame them for announcing that a
possible step in searching for life is a possible step in searching for life.
Perhaps some of the obvious annoyance here stems from us all being fed up with 'possible steps' that turn out not to be six months later? It seems to happen a lot and it is very frustrating, thats how science goes.... Besides, as doug pointed out on his forum, until the press release there is no story to be either excited or dissapointed by!