Mars-Like Conditions Sufficient to Sustain Earth-Bound Microbes

skade88 writes "Does life exist on Mars? We might assume if there ever was life on Mars then it most likely came about when Mars was a wetter and warmer place than it is now. So the question is, if life did exist on Mars in the past, does it still exist? Ars takes a look at how microbes have survived on Earth in environmental conditions much like we currently see on Mars."

Comments

Good and bad

[Hentes]

On one hand, we have to be even more careful not to contaminate Mars. On the other hand, finding (or creating) bacteria that can survive there could be the first step of terraforming the planet.

Re:Good and bad

[N0Man74]

Why do we have to be careful of contaminating a barren wasteland that only the most ignorant could possibly believe ever contained life.

Exactly! It's kind of like the Sahara or Antarctica. One look is enough to know that plant life could not flourish in these areas. Only an ignorant person could think that these places could have ever supported abundant flora, because it's not possible that time could have changed the environment.

No, the question is: what happened

[Rob Kaper]

The real question is: if Mars once had Earth-like conditions, is there a risk Earth will end up with Mars-like conditions in the foreseeable future?

Forget accidental contamination.

[runeghost]

How long before some nation or well-funded group decides that the time to start terraforming Mars is 'right now', and without bothering about world opinion, puts together a tailored package of microbes at just lobs them to Mars?

Re:Procariotes

[flyingfsck]

When the aerobic life on the surface of Mars died, the underground life would have been unaffected. So if there was life on Mars, the place to look today, would be underground, since anaerobic life should still be there.