Genes that give plants antifreeze sap, salt tolerance or thick, leathery leaves that withstand dry air are among the most likely to be useful on Mars. Old-fashioned breeding will also play a role, says Hiscox. Generations of bacteria can be exposed to more and more martian-like conditions to create strains that will survive on another world. The method is the same as that used by animal breeders for centuries, but it's startlingly more rapid with bacteria, as medical researchers have discovered when bacteria evolve to become immune to antibiotics. Not only will such small genetically modified life forms be easier to start on Mars, they will also create a base of organic material for the life that follows, says Hiscox.
Microorganisms are crucial to the survival of life on Mars in the future.
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