Mars Family Robinson

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Richard Brooks

> But the present basis of computer chips is sand (silicon) with
> slight impurities.

> Rick Brooks

But Earth has sand too. We're dealing with elements and it's
unlikely that Mars has some undiscovered element that Earth lacks.
If it's a matter of a lifeform that is unique to Mars and has
economic value to Earth, I don't think that will require a whole
Martian civilization to process. Most likely a few probes and DNA
sequencers sent to Mars, maybe with a crew, and then send the data
back to Earth. Presto, we've just wiped out the Martian economy.

TangoMan