Martian Bioethics (Updated)

~~Evidence~~ Work ~~from the X-Files~~ by Ames researchers show that life might exist on Mars after all -- which raises an interesting question. If, as the researchers claim, life exists in pockets of water and in caves on the red planet, do we have any moral obligations to such (undoubtedly microbial) life? Does the Star-Trekian Prime Directive not to alter the life on other planets have a moral hold on us? Believe it or not, there is an office at NASA that thinks about these things, headed by the person with the coolest title of any living human: "Chief of Plantary Protections." ("What do you do, Daddy?" "I protect planets, honey." "Wow!") But as we venture forth into the great beyond, there will be attendant moral problems about how we treat other planets. Considering how we have treated this one, the problems will not be trivial.

On the other hand, there may be no life on Mars at all ... NASA released this today:

NASA STATEMENT ON FALSE CLAIM OF EVIDENCE OF LIFE ON MARS
News reports on February 16, 2005, that NASA scientists from Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., have found strong evidence that life may exist on Mars are incorrect. NASA does not have any observational data from any current Mars missions that supports this claim. The work by the scientists mentioned in the reports cannot be used to directly infer anything about life on Mars, but may help formulate the strategy for how to search for martian life. Their research concerns extreme environments on Earth as analogs of possible environments on Mars. No research paper has been submitted by them to any scientific journal asserting martian life.

Hmm. We have a call in to Area 51. - Paul Root Wolpe/GM

posted Feb 17, 2005 | link |

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