On the Question of the Mars Meteorite

A team of scientists recently announced that they believe they have found evidence for ancient microbacterial life in a chunk of meteorite that came from the planet Mars. The startling news would be the first discovery of any form of life off the Earth. It could revolutionize our thoughts on the probability of life arising elsewhere in our solar system and the universe beyond, especially in the light of recent news about planetlike bodies detected around other stars.

As with many groundbreaking discoveries, the initial evidence raises more questions than it answers. We have compiled this Web resource to answer some basic questions about Mars and its meteorites and to encourage further questions, discussions, and research on such a vital topic. It contains many links to other information on the Web and in print. Feedback to treiman@lpi.usra.edu is welcome.