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Mars-Like Conditions Sufficient to Sustain Earth-Bound Microbes

Posted by timothy on from the little-chilly-though dept.

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."

3 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Good and bad by Hentes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:Good and bad by N0Man74 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

  2. No, the question is: what happened by Rob+Kaper · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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?