# If the earth was doomed what would be the morality of seeding Mars with life ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304 "2010-06-07T17:13:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/1 "2010-06-07T17:13:25Z")
I just read [this](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/07/canadian_mars_microbes/) article about arctic microbes that could theoretically survive on Mars. And was thinking about this a bit… Under normal circumstances transplanting Earth-bound microbes to other planets is considered a big no-no for a host of practical and moral reasons. But suppose we wake up tomorrow and notice an earth-destroying comet heading straight for us, does that change ? I mean not just something that will wipe us out, but is so big it will clearly wipe out all life on the planet. Do we have some moral obligation to keep life around ? Should we bottle some of this stuff up and send it to Mars ? Obviously there might be a few practical considerations with it actually surviving there, but if it was feasible, would it be the right thing to do ? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/2 "2010-06-07T17:15:22Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Under normal circumstances transplanting Earth-bound microbes to other planets is considered a big no-no for a host of practical and moral reasons. What are those reasons? Are these rules codified somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/3 "2010-06-07T17:18:26Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > What are those reasons? Are these rules codified somewhere? Yes [indeed](http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11937&page=95). I believe the Soviets got a lot of criticism for not sterilizing their space probes. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/4 "2010-06-07T17:21:52Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > I just read [this](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/07/canadian_mars_microbes/) article about arctic microbes that could theoretically survive on Mars. And was thinking about this a bit… > > Under normal circumstances transplanting Earth-bound microbes to other planets is considered a big no-no for a host of practical and moral reasons. I see no difference between that and transplanting potatoes to Ireland. Keeping Mars sterile for now makes sense out of scientific curiosity for discovering past Martian life, not any moral qualms about bringing it there eventually. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/5 "2010-06-07T17:27:07Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I see no difference between that and transplanting potatoes to Ireland. > > Keeping Mars sterile for now makes sense out of scientific curiosity for discovering past Martian life, not any moral qualms about bringing it there eventually. No the current guidelines are definitely there due a moral obligation to stop contamination, not just the practical problem of avoiding a “false positive” detection of ET life. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/6 "2010-06-07T17:36:04Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > No the current guidelines are definitely there due a moral obligation to stop contamination, not just the practical problem of avoiding a “false positive” detection of ET life. A moral obligation to who or what? Contaminating a lifeless world with new single-celled life is neither moral nor immoral. This would not change if we were doomed. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/7 "2010-06-07T17:40:57Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > No the current guidelines are definitely there due a moral obligation to stop contamination, not just the practical problem of avoiding a “false positive” detection of ET life. That’s not what your link suggests, though. From it: > [@](#): > > Mars is of particular interest in planetary protection due to its relevance to the processes of chemical evolution that might have led to life, the possible origin or occurrence of life in the past or at present, and the potential for contamination to jeopardize future life-related measurements or experiments. That suggests that the precautions against contamination are practical. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/8 "2010-06-07T17:42:16Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > A moral obligation to who or what? > > Contaminating a lifeless world with new single-celled life is neither moral nor immoral. This would not change if we were doomed. The point is we don’t know for sure that Mars IS life-less. If its not then we are doing the equivalent of introducing cats into the Galapagos. The difference in the hypothetical in the OP, that if we know that Earth WILL be lifeless post impact, do we take the chance ? ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/9 "2010-06-07T19:22:13Z")
What do you mean “if” the Earth were doomed? We ARE doomed! The sun will eventually expand and kill all life on the planet. Never mind that it will take a few billion years - we should learn from the Pierson’s Puppeteers and take action promptly. Let’s get out of here!!! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/10 "2010-06-07T19:37:01Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > What are those reasons? Are these rules codified somewhere? I recall an old SF short story, I think it was by Arthur C. Clarke, about an Earth expedition to Venus. The astronauts discover a lifeform, a kind of big amoeba-thing, and are all excited about it. But then they casually jettison their ship’s trash, which the amoeba-thing eats, thereby absorbing deadly microorganisms to which it has no immunity, and then it goes on to contaminate the others of its kind. In one stroke, the astronauts have discovered and exterminated life on Venus. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/11 "2010-06-07T20:17:29Z")
I see no moral imperative either way. I would prefer that every possible resource first be employed to stop the threat. Now if you told me that God had made an appearance and said, “This is the end boys and don’t try any funny stuff”, I’d avoid sending DNA in a time capsule anywhere and take my personal DNA to Lourdes or something. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/12 "2010-06-07T21:22:39Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > The point is we don’t know for sure that Mars IS life-less. If you based every moral decision on a necessity for understanding all future ramifications ahead of time, nothing would ever get done. You’re asking for the impossible. You can’t really demand anything more than a best faith effort to know the state of the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/13 "2010-06-07T23:01:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > What are those reasons? Are these rules codified somewhere? The prime directive DUH ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/14 "2010-06-07T23:17:15Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Do we have some moral obligation to keep life around ? Absolutely. > [@](#): > > Should we bottle some of this stuff up and send it to Mars ? Good idea, but perhaps a better idea would be to send stuff out on a variety of very long orbits, such that at least one re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere once the Earth is again capable of supporting life. All you need is stuff like Stromatolites and algae Add to that putting mankind’s knowledge on something on the Moon. Something that will last a few hundred million years. Make it hollow but easily opened and put all the knowledge inside. Hmm… something like a monolith, perhaps? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/15 "2010-06-08T00:58:28Z")
The survival of humanity would outweigh the survival of unintelligent life on Mars since we know for certain there’s no intelligent life. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/16 "2010-06-08T02:24:50Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > The survival of humanity would outweigh the survival of unintelligent life on Mars since we know for certain there’s no intelligent life. We’re not talking about the survival of humanity. The OP assumes all we can save, and plant on Mars, is some terrestrial microbial life. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/17 "2010-06-08T16:35:07Z")
There’s a small chance the microbial life could evolve into more complicated lifeforms, possibly ones that are conscious. Why risk bringing more suffering and pain into the world if you can help it? Then again, I don’t see why you’d want to preserve microbes either, unless you want to really confuse some alien archaeologists. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/18 "2010-06-08T22:03:27Z")
Once you are sure there is no life, then fire away. Seed every planet you can. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/19 "2010-06-08T22:16:48Z")
Even if there was, say, bacterial life on Mars, I fail to see how it would be immoral to contaminate it with Earth life. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304/20 "2010-06-08T22:22:02Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > Once you are sure there is no life, then fire away. > Seed every planet you can. See, [“The Big Space Fuck,”](http://pierretristam.com/Bobst/07/wf041307.htm) by Kurt Vonnegut. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-earth-was-doomed-what-would-be-the-morality-of-seeding-mars-with-life/542304.md?page=2)