SOMETIME in the next decade NASA plans to collect a sample of Martian soil and bring it back to Earth. In anticipation, the US National Research Council has pointed out that if there are microscopic life forms on Mars, they could be dangerous. However remote the risk, samples should be delivered straight to a biosafety level-4 lab, the sort where deadly viruses such as Ebola are handled. By the same token, we have a moral duty not to infect other worlds, so vast amounts of time and money are going into making sure that Mars missions do not export potentially…
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
2
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
3
What if the idea of the autism spectrum is completely wrong?
4
Ancient human DNA found on cave art for the first time
5
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
6
Phages could enable us to hijack vaccine immunity to kill cancer cells
7
Can home batteries help save the climate and save you money?
8
We鈥檝e uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
9
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
10
Europe鈥檚 heatwave is the hottest and most humid ever
