Sure you may need to dig and even bring back samples to conclusively identify microscopic fossils.
But let's face it, such evidence will continue to face strong opposition. We need to find some bones, maybe even fish bones.
Outfit the next observer satellite with radar mapping technology that is already being tried on Earth and find some bigger fish-- theircompetitor, Mar 29 2004 (?) Earth radar fossil hunting http://www.american...etail/assetid/14562 [theircompetitor, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] (?) Martian Manhunter http://www.geocitie...rtianmanhunter.htmlno relation. [ato_de, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Yes, we went to the moon. http://www.clavius.org/Conspiracy theorists drive me nuts. [RayfordSteele, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] (?) life on mars http://www.newscien...t.jsp?id=ns99994812 [cocktaillouie, Oct 17 2004] (?) Looking for fossils from the air http://abcnews.go.c...ireStory?id=5467200 [theircompetitor, Jul 30 2008] AIs scanning for signs of life on Mars http://www.popsci.c...oll-mars-signs-life [theircompetitor, Nov 07 2009] Hominid ancestor found using Google Earth http://www.technews...html?wlc=1270995111 [theircompetitor, Apr 11 2010] Lost pyramids discovered from space http://www.msnbc.ms...and_science-science [theircompetitor, May 25 2011] Yeah, Curiosity http://www.nasa.gov...ages/msl/index.htmlBest of luck finding them bones [theircompetitor, Nov 26 2011] Got one http://www.usatoday...ight-glint/1622603/ [theircompetitor, Oct 09 2012] Well, if they found a fishbone, then certainly a bun http://www.wired.co...oric-news-organics/ [theircompetitor, Nov 21 2012] And, they found a bone http://www.theregis...24/nasa_penis_mars/ [theircompetitor, Apr 24 2013] Somehow this is the first time I came across these curious images http://www.enterpri...rinoid_cover-up.htm [theircompetitor, Dec 10 2013] Your hip bone is connected to the... http://www.huffingt...?utm_hp_ref=science [theircompetitor, Aug 22 2014] Space Archaeology http://stgist.com/2...wins-ted-prize-5305 [theircompetitor, Nov 11 2015] I think it's ironic that NASA (or someone) has pulled a fast one, and is now spending $billions to look for *dead* things, and water that *used* to flow, on Mars.-- DrCurry, Mar 29 2004 How does an idea with 'fishbone hunter' in the title stand a chance?-- swamilad, Mar 29 2004 I like a challenge-- theircompetitor, Mar 29 2004 Because it has the word 'Martian' in it. Martian makes it better. +-- sartep, Mar 29 2004 If the radar finds fossilized croissants we know that there was an advanced culture in Mars.-- kbecker, Mar 29 2004 Hmm, perhaps I can find an old image of Rock Hudson with a croissant :)-- theircompetitor, Mar 29 2004 It only indicates that there are cow rectums on Mars. Martian parliament opens in a week.-- Detly, Mar 29 2004 So no new Steve Irwin show then?Pitty.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 30 2004 That i would love to see Steve Irwin versus Martian lifeforms-- engineer1, Mar 30 2004 Jesus Christ-- K-trein, Mar 30 2004 interesting paper. However, the GPR and the SAR radar techniques are not really appropriate techniques for fossil location.
Fossils become fossils by a process called diagenesis - in effect the organic materials are replaced by minerals. These minerals come from the surround rock matrix which, in effect, means that the fossil and the rock matrix share similar (but not identical) chemistrys. The project was successful at spotting Calcium Phosphate (bone) in silicon dioxide (sand) - but as diagenesis takes place, the calcium phosphate will be replaced - this will make resolution of fossils significantly harder.
The project was successful at finding materials at no deeper than 3.4 feet. Fossils may well be buried significantly deeper.
Life started with single cell organisms, developing slowly to multi-celled life. It is unknown if any life has ever existed on Mars and if it did, it is much more likely to be single-or possibly multi- microorganisms. These will never show on a radar as they have little to them to reflect.
Fossilised bone. --- jonthegeologist, Mar 30 2004 Who cares about finding any real bones? I want to put fake bones up there to scam NASA, the way they scammed us with the moon landing.-- echo, Mar 30 2004 Uh, sure, echo. See link.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 30 2004 speaking of life on mars, i added a link to an article which essentially suggests that every cent spent on finding life on mars was a complete waste, since we can never trust a conclusion that says "there is life on mars," since we brought it there ourselves.-- cocktaillouie, Mar 30 2004 Well if we brought life to mars and it is still alive, then that's certainly news.-- mylodon, Jul 30 2008 //every cent spent on finding life on mars was a complete waste, since we can never trust a conclusion that says "there is life on mars," since we brought it there ourselves.//
My response to this may a little late, but, nevertheless: "BOLLOCKS". There.
If we do find life on Mars, and if it has not had a common origin with life on Earth (which, in fact, it may very well have done, admittedly), then it will almost certainly have fundamental differences in its molecular biology. For instance, the choice between enantiomers of basic biomolecules is essentially arbitrary, but becomes "locked in". If we find that Martian life has, say, sugars of the opposite chirality to Earth's, we can be fairly confident that it's not terrestrial in origin.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 08 2009 ^Ah but it could be a diet-sugar from future time-travellers, of Earthly origin.-- FlyingToaster, Nov 26 2011 Is Mars hypothetically older than Earth? I know it has often been theorized that Venus may be heading towards becoming Earth-like and that some other planets were like the Earth in the past.-- Alizayi, Nov 26 2011 // it could be a diet-sugar from future time-travellers, of Earthly origin //
It's people like you that start wars, you know, [FT].-- 8th of 7, Nov 26 2011 ... but if it weren't for people like you, then people like him would be fighting their wars with pig- femurs.-- mouseposture, Nov 26 2011 Let's hope aliens like dick jokes (see link)-- theircompetitor, Apr 24 2013 random, halfbakery