Amanda wrote:
> I keep thinking that they must sterilise the insides of probes and
> things before they send them, but do they? We're so concerned about
> what IT may do to US, that we forget about what WE may do to IT.

I think that they do actually sterilise landers, but I'm not sure about
missions that are entirely orbital. Of course, just because it's
supposed to go into orbit doesn't mean that it will, and I'm sure that
crash landings are at least moderately survivable for micro-organisms.
Or perhaps there could be a Big Conspiracy of Viriditas-Obsessed Nutters
who deliberately try to infect Mars with life only to have it all go
Horribly Wrong.

>> ROU As Long As Things Jumped Out At You It Would Be Okay With Me
> 
> Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured.

Oooh, touche!

> Look, it can't be much worse
> than most of the skiffy dreck that gets made, can it?

It _could_ be worse, but I'm confident that it won't be.

Rich
ROU Although Tentacles, Claws And Fangs Couldn't Hurt Either