Politics, marsquakes, dust storms, and landslides: PhD-to-be Jen Z and her fellow researchers have come through it all to find life on Mars.
Their years-long quest may have even bigger implications than anyone imagined. The harmless Martian microbe they discovered—scientific name Crimsococcus halocryophilus, nickname Crimsy—may have brought the first life to Earth, hitching a ride on rocks or dust from the Red Planet billions of years ago.
But to find out for sure means studies and tes...
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Politics, marsquakes, dust storms, and landslides: PhD-to-be Jen Z and her fellow researchers have come through it all to find life on Mars.
Their years-long quest may have even bigger implications than anyone imagined. The harmless Martian microbe they discovered—scientific name Crimsococcus halocryophilus, nickname Crimsy—may have brought the first life to Earth, hitching a ride on rocks or dust from the Red Planet billions of years ago.
But to find out for sure means studies and tests in labs here at home.
Not so fast, say nations and corporations who helped finance the mission. They’re holding our history-making visitor hostage on a space station orbiting Earth, while threatening a colossal battle for control, of patent rights and bragging rights.
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