IN news terms we can have too much excitement in one go. Very often, multiple sensations can put individual achievements or discoveries out of context and in the shade.
The spectacular images returned to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Pasadena, California, from the Galileo space probe showing evidence of volcanic activity, and even possibly the presence of water on two of Jupiter's larger moons, was greatly overshadowed by the previous week's dramatic news of the possibility of ancient fossil life forms on Mars.
The mind boggling assertions of NASA scientists about the analysis of a piece of meteorite understandably killed off a lot of media interest in the following week's seemingly dull news from Galileo. However, the probe's images could arguably be more scientifically significant in the long term.
There is still a good deal of scepticism around over the claims by the US National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA). Even fellow scientists in the UK, who carried out an analysis of the same meteorite, have gone on record as saying the NASA geo scientists have "stuck their necks out a bit on this one".
It's also been pointed out by "unbelievers" that NASA is in urgent need of funding for its various research and exploration programmes, and "it is presidential election year in the States".
The problem about verifying the Martian claims is that first we have to be convinced the rock under study (believed to have lain in the Antarctic wastes for about 13,000 years before being found Just over 10 years ago) did actually come from our neighbouring planet. Secondly, can the possibility of Earthly contamination be completely ruled out? Thirdly, are we really looking at primitive life forms or just something like it? And, if satisfied on all these counts, maybe, just maybe, we are left with evidence of life 3 1/2 billion years ago.
The ultimate proof of the Martian life can only come from bringing a bit of Martian rock back for analysis or carrying out a sophisticated mechanical (robot) analysis on the surface - and this will cost a lot - a planned unmanned NASA mission for next year, which will include geologic sampling, is still under funded.
However, it can be argued that the latest images from the Galileo probe shows more immediate drama and definite evidence - actual pictures - of what is happening now on the mysterious Jovian satellites.
The Io image of some kind of volcanic eruption on the moon's surface points to a geologically active core, a fact hinted at by the Voyager probe 17 years ago, but we would now appear to have the visible proof. Unlike our moon, which is a dead world and where no surface feature can change unless struck by something from outside, the surface of lo shows changes in structure since the Voyager flypast of 1979 around the site of apparent volcanic eruptions. The latest pictures show a volcanic plume extending from one site to about 60 miles above the surface.
Images from Europa on the other hand show surface marks which look uncommonly like ice flows in Earth's polar seas. One image shows a recent impact crater about 18.5 miles in diameter which appears to have dug into Europa's icy surface, throwing debris across the surrounding areas.
The Galileo spacecraft images indicate that "warm ice" or even liquid water may have existed and possibly still exists beneath Europa's crust. Europa has long been considered by scientists to be one of the few places in the solar system that could possess an environment where primitive life forms could exist.
The present theory is that something, either within the core of the satellite, or less likely, some unknown influence from the nearby parent giant, is causing a heating process beneath the icy surface of the body, which is roughly about the size of our moon and the third largest Jupiter satellite.
The latest images of the frozen moon hint that its fractured crust of icy slabs may be sliding on a layer of slush or even water the fundamental ingredient for life. The pictures, taken from 96,000 miles away, show its surface dotted with a series of dark spots that could be scars of slush spewing geysers.
The presence of slush would add additional weight to the argument that Europa is not frozen solid, but has water within what was believed to be a 50 mile thick icy layer. Europa has long held out the prospect of water trapped beneath deep seas of ice.
Geologists at Arizona State University who have been studying the latest probe images, believe the possibility that the icy slabs were moving around on a lubricating layer of relatively warm, mushy ice might mean that strong tidal forces are at work cracking the crust.
The more geologically active Europa turns out to be, the more likely it is to have niches which could harbour life. The new images from Galileo, taken last June 27th, have shown the scientists in charge of the project "details not even suspected" from pictures returned from the Voyager spacecraft in 1979.
Galileo has captured a slice of terrain as large as the United States west of the Mississippi which show features, like dark criss crossing bands, to be global and not just local as previously believed. Scientists say the bands give the appearance of a great inter state highway system, with lanes a generous five to six miles wide, extending thousands of miles in length.
Jupiter has four large moons, visible in Ireland through binoculars in the south western sky this month, and at least 11 smaller satellites.
Galileo was launched in 1989 and has been sending back a steady stream of Jupiter moon close ups as well as some spectacular shots of the giant planet itself, including images of the great red spot which is believed to be the outward manifestation of a 300 year old or older storm raging in Jupiter's atmosphere, and which itself is nearly twice the size of the Earth.
Scientists are anxiously anticipating even better pictures next December, when Galileo will pass again within 600 miles of Europa.