In the first test of planetary protection technology, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) swabbed their space-walking gear for microbes, using the "Lab-On-A-Chip Application Development Portable Test System" (LOCAD-PTS), a compact biological laboratory designed for use in space. Such tools will be further developed and refined to prevent humanity from contaminating other planets.

A team of scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom has developed a technique using ultraviolet light to identify organic matter in soils that they say could be used to document the existence of life on Mars.

A NASA spacecraft has found seven possible cave entrances on Mars, triggering interest in hunting for other caverns that might be hiding life on the Red Planet, the US space agency said.

Key components of a new approach to discover life on Mars were successfully launched into space Friday as part of a twelve-day, low-Earth orbit experiment to assess their survivability in the space radiation environment—a prelude future journeys to Mars.

A research team has for the first time ever discovered DNA from living bacteria that are more than half a million years old. Never before has traces of still living organisms that old been found. The exceptional discovery can lead to a better understanding of the ageing of cells and might even cast light on the question of life on Mars.

A Delta rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral early Saturday, carrying a probe NASA hopes will land on Mars next spring to find out whether the planet can sustain life.