By Leonard David, Space.com’s Space Insider Columnist
If scientists do find life on Mars, it may be possible to beam Martian DNA back to Earth, according to a new idea growing in popularity. If Martian bugs are found, the idea of “faxing” life from Mars is an enticing prospect, spurred on by scientist, Craig Venter, famous for his early sequencing of the human genome.
Venter proposes that researchers analyze Martian DNA on the Red Planet and then radio back that sequence to synthesize the DNA on Earth. He put forth the notion in a book
published last year called “Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of the Digital Age.” [The Search for Life on Mars (A Photo Timeline)]