[ClaytonP]

Space travel is difficult enough as it is without having to worry about this.

Ensuring no earth microbes make it to Mars will only guarantee no human exploration of that planet

[logitech]

I happen to think this is a good idea.

There are several microbes in DC that would be perfect specimens. >:)

[Dallas59]

We won’t colonize anything unless we get rid of global PCism.

[gaijin]

At one time Earth had very little oxygen —cyanobacteria changed that.

They can change that for Mars, also.

We should have done this YEARS ago.

They say the amount of ice under Mar’s south pole would provide enough water, were Mars warmer and totally flat, to submerge all of it’s surface area to a depth of 11 meters.

Before humans get there, they should let cyanobacteria work their magic for a dozen or so years.

I believe now that Mars’ atmospher is just 0.1% oxygen.

[Army Air Corps]

What about a civilization of dust bunnies?

[lurk]

Why not introduce a wheelbarrow of plant life that is tolerant of extreme hot and cold conditions?

[Walkingfeather]

Um, I wish these stupid “ Colonize Mars” fantasies would end. You have to have a human survive the Van Allen radiation belt.... Good luck with that.

[Amendment10]

Speaking of finding microbes on Mars or another planet or asteroid, please consider the following. How will scientists know for sure that such a finding isn’t the result of earth space vehicles that were contaminated with the “bugs,” even in the atmosphere, before they left the earth’s atmosphere?

[Fungi]

No. Plain and simple, life on the “red planet” will not be found as far as we know life to be here on earth. Fungi rule the earth, they will not colonize Mars as there is nothing there to colonize. ‘nough said.