Slashdot Mirror
Earth Microbes May Survive On Mars
Vicissidude writes "New Scientist is reporting that terrestrial microbes who hitch a ride to Mars on spacecraft may be able to survive under special circumstances." From the article: "...Mars's thin atmosphere allows such intense ultraviolet radiation to reach the planet's surface - triple that found on Earth - that any life inadvertently carried on the spacecraft is thought to be wiped out quickly...However, the bacteria were able to stay alive if they were shielded by just 1 millimeter of soil during the tests, which ran for up to 24 hours. Under such a protective coating, the bacteria could survive - and potentially grow - under the high Martian UV flux if water and nutrient requirements for growth were met."
Isn't it strange how the Martians brought us here before they were annihilated, and now we're sending life back to that planet?
'Martian Yoghurt' from Muller - the choice of the extraterrestrially cultured.
You betcha! After 6000 years the life will come to worship us as their creators just as we worship the dude from Jupiter who terra-formed earth. It's like having your own pet, but they can feed themselves! It would be the best of both worlds.
Remember in H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds how our germs were Earth's last best defense against the invading Martians? Good to know we're developing a first-strike capability...
Seeing bad movies only encourages them. Watch responsibly
Earth Microbes placed on Mars appear to be stuck in a sand dune.
News Reporters Make Tasty Polar Bear Treats!
And this is why we need a proper ticketing and validation system, including using ticket conductors an all space flights to prevent these freeloading micro organisms taking advantage of our space travel. Saying its not cold enough here on earth at this time of the solar cycle is no excuse to just secretly jump on the next moon mission that come along.
If you need to get off planet do it under your own power ya grubby little micro cheapskates.
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
Our proposed Bill will create a score of new offences including failure to notify authorities about a damaged or defective card, refusal of a microbe to obey an order from the Secretary of State, failure to notify the Secretary of State of any change in cellular structure, failure to obey an order to mutate and providing false plasmids. Penalties range from mild exposure to radiation to two years solitary containment in an offshore government facility, with a maximum ten-year cryogenic imprisonment for possession of forged DNA.
We will also introduce new laws to help catch and convict those microbes involved in helping to plan terrorist activity or who glorify or condone acts of terror. New control orders will enable police and security agencies to keep track of microbes they suspect of planning terrorist outrages including bans on who they can meet or form cellular colonies with, electronic tagging and mitosis curfew orders, and for those who present the highest risk, a requirement to stay permanently at home.