The Viking LR found evidence for metabolism on Mars 26 years ago. The fact that it was not followed up scientifically but rather ignored in favor of the extreme low sensitivity of the Viking GCMS (which by the way had great difficulty finding organic matter in Earth soils containing millions of organisms) and pushed aside in favor of hypotetical oxidants, remains one the odd sceintific stories of our century. Given the importance of finding life on another world, you would think the scientific communtiy would exhaust every possible avenue. But it di not.

It is only now, that NASA is coming round to Levin's data, two years before Beagle 2 touches down to once again search for life on Mars.

"I too want a moon base, but not one wasting space and resources on an isolation lab we don't likely need".

Hmmm...we'll see in 2003.

BarryD