• NASA cannot rule out the possibility that the Mars rover is contaminated with fungi or other microorganisms from Earth.
  • The concept of ‘planetary protection’ was introduced after the Apollo 11 mission to prevent bringing potential extraterrestrial organisms back to Earth.
  • Despite strict protocols, complete sterilization of spacecraft is impossible, increasing the risk of contaminating Mars.
  • Scientists warn that terrestrial microbes could survive on Mars and compromise the search for native life.
  • Current planetary protection measures may be insufficient to preserve Mars as a pristine environment in the long term.

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