Topic awaiting preservation: We put "life" on mars?

" FAR from discovering life on Mars, Nasa may have put it there. The American space agency believes the two rover spacecraft scuttling across the red planet are carrying bacteria from Earth, writes John Harlow.

The bacteria, bacillus safensis, were found in a chamber in California that had been used to test the rovers. Officials believe it is likely some of the microbes, possibly from scientists? skin, were on board when the mission left.

The craft, Spirit and Opportunity, landed on Mars last year. One key task was to look for signs of life ? now it seems that if there are any organisms, it is man who has put them there. If proved, the contamination would raise concerns at possible breaches of a United Nations treaty to stop other planets being polluted from Earth.

The claims have been made by Kasthuri Venkateswaran, a microbiologist at Nasa?s spacecraft assembly plant in Pasadena. His tests have shown the microbes could survive space travel, the landing on Mars and the planet?s bitter -60C climate. It is believed the bacteria are living inside the electronic circuitry of the two landers. "

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-1697332,00.html

" You are no match for Lord Gorlok! "

For some reason I don't think there's much to worry about. ^^ Even if it survived the spacetravel and -60C it's not like it's going to actually live there. It would still need at least water right? Warmth is probably provided by the electronics...

...ofcourse the scientists know better... but I think they're worrying a bit too much...

"Life will always find a way." - what a fitting quote.