Exo -Bacterial Life - Important?

[Radar]

Let's say we find some kind of bacteria on Mars. Now lets also assume that our presence there in bringing our own kinds of bacteria will kill the bacteria that is indigenous there.

What is more important to nature? Or basically, what is the right thing to do?

Should we abstain from going there because there is microbial life that may evolve into something more?

Or

Do we go there, not really worry about killing the microbial life, because basically we are a much more and already advanced life form and therefore it is more important for us to spread throughout the universe to ensure our survival as a species?

:hmm:

[Noel Carboni]

Too late - we've already landed there. :eartoear:

Aside from the sterilizing factors in deep space (radiation, lack of oxygen), some attempts were made to keep the various Martian landers clean, but there's simply no way they brought zero biological material with them. It's EVERYWHERE here on Earth, and so some of it no doubt came to Mars lodged in the landers.

Does that mean bringing more is a Bad Thing? :hmm:

IMO, no. I'm for sending the stuff required to terraform Mars, a la the film "Red Planet". :yesplease:

Seems to me that discovery of indigenous life on Mars could affirm that life probably develops everywhere, and therefore isn't all that precious. That may sound a bit cold, but I personally feel that since we humans are no more than the natural extension of the development of life on Earth, our visiting Mars is essentially a natural occurrence.

And who's to say some early meteoric impact on Earth didn't deliver biological material to Mars in some bygone time? We have Mars meteorites here, after all.

-Noel

[phoenix]

Do we go there, not really worry about killing the microbial life, because basically we are a much more and already advanced life form and therefore it is more important for us to spread throughout the universe to ensure our survival as a species?

:hmm:




I think i would have to go with that one Ray, If it came down to our survival or microbial life, I'd say us :Chessy_Smile:



Cheers Jason :pipethinker:

[Robert TG]

So... if Earth was in the way of an intergaltic highway it would be OK for the much more advanced life form to bulldoze us out of the way. Hitchhikers guide to the universe senerio.
And why not, it is survivial of the fittest.

[Maia]

As Noel said-Too late!

I read somewhere about the concerns of the contamination from earth on Mars, but who's to say that this microbial life will ever develop into anything past bacteria. So yes, go ahead.Martians would have,had it been the other way around.