Mars sample return: Could Red Planet life contaminate Earth? - Space.com

Hauling to Earth samples of Mars that might contain Red Planet life is deemed a low risk affair in terms of ecological and public safety — but that risk is not zero.

Conceptual drawing of a Mars Sample Retrieval Lander. (Image credit: NASA) The robotic return of pristine samples from the surface of Mars has been a holy grail goal of Red Planet investigators for … [+10916 chars]

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