If NASA did it

There has been discussion within the scientific community for decades as to whether or not life on Mars exists. The debate was theoretically put to rest in the 1970s, when the Viking space probes came back with no evidence of life on the red planet.

Now, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, a geology professor at Washington State University, believes that not only did NASA find life, but, because it wasn't a form of life that they were expecting, that they killed it.

Dr. Schulze-Makuch firmly believes that there is a potential for hydrogen-peroxide based life on Mars, life that could survive the climate of the planet. NASA is even looking at the research of the professor and considering how this will impact their upcoming Mars exploration, set to launch later this year.

While this could lead to a new era of exploration, and possibly even lead to huge achievements in the area of space exploration and potential colonization, there is one large element that is being passed over; an element that has been overlooked for the last thirty years. With the recent speculation by Dr. Schulze-Makuch, it seems apparent that there is at least a fair chance that the Viking probes of the 1970s were guilty of a horrible crime. A crime that was left unsolved over the decades, and should carry with it a punishment deemed appropriate. A crime of murder most foul.

Oh, if only the Viking probes can find spunky Martian lawyers, who will be able to prove to the Martian jury that their childlike ignorance of how life on Mars works prevents them from being held responsible for their actions, perhaps even pushing for some sort of insanity plea. Then, and only then, can we live in a world where the probes can make amends for their mistakes, while working in a Martian soup kitchen.