I pessimistically predict that they (maybe not Phoenix, but maybe something else) will find some bacteria very similar to earth forms, which will launch a never-ending debate as to whether they were Martian forms that seeded earth, vice versa, some extra-solar sytem source that seeded both, or simply earth contamination that was brought to Mars by probes. After many years of fruitless debate, most will lean toward the last explanation but without the question ever being settled.

Nick

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Nick Theodorakis