NASA is about to collect the first ever water samples from Mars...but fears it may contaminate the Red Planet with bacteria from Earth when it does. *Editors comment: Or is this a clever way of planting the idea since they may already know life exists on Mars? The US space agency is weighing up how to use the Curiosity Rover, which is exploring the planet, to collect samples of running water on the surface. But is concerned that Earthly bacteria on the droid will get into the Martian water - potentially starting "alien" life to form on the planet. A NASA spokesman said: "Ever since it was announced that there may be evidence of liquid water on present-day Mars, NASA scientists have wondered how best to further investigate these long, seasonally changing dark streaks in the hope of finding evidence of life – past or present – on the Red Planet." Jim Green, NASA's director of planetary science, said: "It's not as simple as driving a rover to a potential site and taking a scoop of soil.