Pretty sure they're just easing the masses into revealing they've found, and known about, life on Mars.
I wouldn't doubt it, or be surprised. People just think little green men when they think alien life ... but there's likely microbes many, many places out there in the universe.
I remember pictures getting leaked from other space agencies about how Mars goes through seasons much like Earth. And during the "Summer" it appears a lot more green.
I'll have to do some digging and see if I can find them again.
They definitely have seasonal differences and interesting seasonal changes.
They've sent several tests there to see if there's life, and the tests keep on coming back saying there is. But then some jackoff always comes up with some obtuse explanation for why it's a false positive, and then they throw out the results.
(post is archived)