The constant stream of data relayed from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) is forcing a reexamination and revision of theories about Mars past and present, as well as how best to utilize surface and orbital reconnaissance spacecraft in the future.

From evidence of greater explosive volcanic activity in Mars past to the increasing likelihood of finding Martian life today -- the emerging profile of the planet is a far cry from just a few years ago.

If you had studied Mars 20 years ago and you came to this meeting today, you would think that people were talking about a different planet that wasn?t the one you studied.

More scientific bombshells are clearly in the offing, say scientists gathered here at the 32nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Also tagged in some circles as "rockfest 2001," the five-day event is being held March 12-16, sponsored by NASAs Johnson Space Center and the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI).

The now-orbiting Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) has spearheaded a rich scientific reassessment of that planets ancient past and its current status, said Maria Zuber, deputy lead for MGS Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. She is also professor of geophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"From my perspective, pretty much every six months you have a new Mars," Zuber said. "In my opinion, the pace of discovery is not lessening with time," she said.

Data gleaned by the MGS-toted laser have shown a surprising flatness of Mars northern hemisphere, Zuber said, with the device now being trained on the seasonal variability of the polar icecaps and Martian clouds.

"If you had studied Mars 20 years ago and you came to this meeting today, you would think that people were talking about a different planet that wasnt the one you studied," Zuber told SPACE.com.

"It causes one to be humble...and its good to be humble," she said.