The life made possible by discovery of water on Mars is that of low-life

The dematerialisation of the little green men meme may disappoint some, but this discovery of water will fortuitously open up a whole new avenue for Mars-related fiction.

The life made possible by discovery of water on Mars is that of low-life
Nasa’s sensational announcement about the evidence of water on Mars may have tied in nicely — too nicely, according to some conspiracy theorists — with the release of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller The Martian this week, but the truth is certainly a lot less attractive if not stranger than fiction. Though the film features the personable Matt Damon as the eponymous life form — a rather far cry from the short, green-hued and antennaed inhabitants fancifully thought to populate the Red Planet — reality now appears to be entirely different. Indeed, if the scientists’ conjectures are to be believed, the real Martians may be more akin to the animated creatures generally shown grimacing around toilet bowls before a mighty disinfectant banishes them. In short, they are likely to be minute bacteria at best, not sci-ficompatible monsters.

The dematerialisation of the little green men meme may disappoint some, but this discovery of water will fortuitously open up a whole new avenue for Mars-related fiction. If the revelation had come sooner, it probably would have been incorporated into the film too, though the original book obviously did not venture that far. The view of Isro’s Mangalyaan crew — treated to a pre-release screening of the film — is now awaited on this issue of science-meets-fiction.
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