Finding life on Mars

[Bullgrit]

Would finding microbial life on Mars actually affect us, our society, our world? If so, how much?

Bullgrit

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Practically, it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference.

Philosophically, I suspect it would rock a lot of peoples' worlds -- proof that we aren't alone in the universe, proof that we're not unique and special, proof that not only is life relatively common, it's a lot more common than we think, proof that investment in space exploration might have a lot more interesting payoff than we might otherwise think, etc. It wouldn't prove, but certainly call into question whether life even originated on Earth. It would lend credance to a lot of big speculation about big questions that would otherwise get dismissed as science fiction ... even if we're only talking about a few microbes.

Plus sales of Ray Bradbury's books might jump ...

 

[Morrus]

I don't think discovering microbial life elsewhere would surprise anybody in the slightest. I think we al pretty much assume it's there; it's just a question of finding it. If not Mars, Europa or somewhere.

So no, I don't think it would make much difference. It would be a news cycle or two, but it would only being saying what everybody thinks anyway.

Discivering non-microscopic life? That would be epic. And intelligent life would change us forever. But microbes? Nah. We've already made that philosophical leap; we already assume it's there.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Discivering non-microscopic life? That would be epic. And intelligent life would change us forever. But microbes? Nah. We've already made that philosophical leap; we already assume it's there.

If by "we" you mean intelligent scientifically-literate humans, I agree.

However, your response indicates you have not experienced a significant fraction of the US population.

 

[Kramodlog]

Would the microbes infect humans? Thatcould have a huge impact. Bigger than SARS or Swine Flu.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Would the microbes infect humans? Thatcould have a huge impact. Bigger than SARS or Swine Flu.

You mean after they take over the rover, drive it back to the landing site, reverse engineer a launch mechanism, and fly it back to Earth? I want to meet those microbes!

 

[Kramodlog]

You mean after they take over the rover, drive it back to the landing site, reverse engineer a launch mechanism, and fly it back to Earth? I want to meet those microbes!

Or we could make a rover that sends back a (contaminated) sample of Mars. Or Martian colonists coming to Earth for site seeing I hate that kind of tourists.

 

[delericho]

I fear it would have virtually no impact. It would be huge news for a day or so, and then we'd collectively go back to our reality TV.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I guess it would stimulate development of a return mission to Mars in order to get some samples into the grubby hands of microbiologists. So essentially more money for space projects.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Don't think it would change much, people believe what they want to believe, just look at our (the US) society views of globe warming and evolution. It would take an alien invasion to make some believe in life from somewhere other than earth.