re: Since When Are You So Shy?
It may not be noticable, but there are entire sections of discussion I steer clear of, mostly involving detailed science areas that I have no real background in. Whatever their views, many of the Mars crew here have obviously done a lot more homework than I have. I have no problems in areas like propulsion, design, and engineering.
I was not setting myself in opposition to anyone, but simply stating what I thought was a reasonable viewpoint.
I think there is an excellent chance of contaminating parts of Mars with bacteria or other life forms, especially if they are allowed some access to subsurface strata.
The list given at the end of the article I linked to originally shows conditions that some forms of life have survived:
Vacuum conditions, with bacteria taken down to near zero pressure and temperature, provided suitable care is exercised in the experimental conditions.
Pressure, with viable bacteria after exposure to pressures as high as 10 tonnes per square centimeter (71 tons/sq-in). Colonies of anaerobic bacteria have recently been recovered from depths of 7 km (4.2 mi) or more in the Earth's crust.
Heat. Archaebacteria that can withstand extreme heat have been found thriving in deep-sea hydrothermal vents and in oil reservoirs a mile underground
Radiation, including viable bacteria recovered from the interior of an operating nuclear reactor. In comparison to space, each square meter on Earth is protected by about 10 tons of shielding atmosphere.
Long preservation, including bacteria revived and cultured after some 25 million years of encapsulation in the guts of a resin-trapped bee.
I haven't the slightest doubt that enough Earth microbes strewn across enough of Mars, would find a foothold somewhere. From then on, it's just a matter of time and evolution.
That being said, I agree that it is at least a little suspicous that the cultures taken from Surveyor reveal a type of bacteria most likely to be breathed onto a petri dish, although one would think severe precautions against this would be taken.