What do you mean these guys decided to grow a conscience? It's not so unlikely that they felt an ethical obligation not to contaminate an environment that has been untouched by us humans for - ever. Of course, otoh, maybe they thought that these earth microbes might spread and be found on a later mission, putting back scientific understanding at least, oh 5 years - maybe they're only thought was for scientific method, and rational truth, out there in the darkness where neither exists.... or maybe they just didn't want to make extra work for themselves.
But seriously, this might be a little abstract, but think of the ethical implications of humans sending out a probe which microbes were then to kill off the basic life that had managed to cling on in Europa. and we would never ever know.....
Posted on Sep 23, 2003, 2:44 AM from IP address 62.64.222.115