believe 449.bel.0 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

Most researchers now believe that the results of the Viking biology experiments can explained by purely chemical processes that do not require the presence of life, and the GCMS results completely rule out life in any event. Thus, there is no detectable life at the two Viking landing sites, which were widely separated and different in character (the Viking 2 landing site was specifically chosen because of its high latitude, since it was closer to polar water sources.) While the possibility of "oases" of more favorable conditions for life cannot be eliminated, for example in subsurface permafrost layers or in geothermal vents near volcanoes, the chances that life exists on Mars at the present time do not seem good.