[Aracelis]

could there be some forms of microscopic life still kicking on the innards of Mars?

I'm gonna have to come up with my own ping list.

The resident "lunatic fringe" geologist is about to make a prognostication:

Just as Earth has life in the most inhospitable regions (black smokers, under the Antarctic ice sheets), Mars may indeed still have some life left. Although, it would likely be in deep, warm pockets of saline water. It therefore behooves us to get there as quickly as possible, perhaps to preserve some organisms from dying ecosystems.

Also...the presence of vast amounts of water on Mars implies something else...plate tectonics.

[null and void]

Time will tell.

[Phil V.]

The resident "lunatic fringe" geologist . . .

Thorazine aint so bad. And that blue gown? . . . uh . . . on you it might be stunning.

[Don Joe]

Also...the presence of vast amounts of water on Mars implies something else...plate tectonics.

Past, or present?

[FireTrack]

Also...the presence of vast amounts of water on Mars implies something else...plate tectonics.

You may have something there. Mars doesn't have the largest volcano and the largest/deepest canyon in the Solar system for no reason!