Mars-Life Hypothesis Gets a Fresh Look
At a recent scientific conference in Los Angeles, scientists explored the possibility of Mars being habitable, or even inhabited by microbes, in the present day
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The New Way to Look for Mars Life: Follow the Salt
Astrobiologists are excited about the possibility of liquid water on Mars, even if it is salty, viscous and possibly toxic
Can Hitchhiking Earth Microbes Thrive on Mars?
New experiments indicate that three of the most hostile elements of the Martian environment are not insurmountable blockades for Earth organisms
Curiosity Drills Mars for Answers
NASA's Curiosity rover has now gotten some use from most of its science instruments, but not all of them are working
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