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MARS POXER REDUX II: Yet again, a “Study Urges Caution on Mars Trip”.

Yawn. Look, folks, there may be life on Mars, but it likely isn’t going to be anywhere near the surface, thanks to billions of years of intense, barely-filtered UV radiation — you know, that same UV radiation that was going to wipe out all life on Earth if we kept using CFC spray cans and refrigerators? Remember that? And whatever life may be on (or, rather, in) Mars will not have a taste for Earthlife anyhow. How can Mars life be any more dangerous to humans than the extremophiles brought up from the sea-bottom trenches right here on Earth?

That hoary bugaboo put to rest, the article does describe some valid recommendations the NRC has made to NASA with regards to Mars exploration, most of which concern the use of probes to characterize the physical and chemical environments at potential landing sites prior to sending human missions. Picture Mars-surface Pegasuses(Pegasi?), Surveyors, and LDEFs — all environments and materials characterization missions in support of follow-on manned activities.