Scientists worried Mars rocks retrieved by NASA may host alien germs

An artist’s concept of a Mars Sample Retrieval Lander. Image source: NASAabout its sample retrieval plans. As it stands, the space agency plans to land a spacecraft with Martian samples at a U.S. Air Force base in the early 2030s. That’s still a long way off, but some scientists warn NASA needs to ensure we’re protected from any alien germs that might piggyback a ride back, too.

NASA’s current plan will see a container with the samples shot into orbit from the surface of the planet. From there, another container will collect the sample container from orbit. From there, the samples will be delivered to Earth, so they can be studied. Again, it’s a monumental move, and one that we’ve been building toward for quite a while. But what happens if those samples do have alien germs on them?A photo captured by the Mars Perseverance rover as it looks for samples to collect.

“We’re talking about a completely different ecosystem, a completely different potential biosphere,” Bell says. “And, of course, we don’t know if there is or was a biosphere on Mars at all.”

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