Monday briefing: 50 years after Viking landed on Mars, did Nasa overlook evidence of life?

In today’s newsletter: ​Breakthroughs increasingly hinge not on finding something new, but on recognising what was​ missed. A leading scientist tells us why it matters Good morning. As Andy Burnham’s search for intelligent life to appoint to cabinet continues (more on that from Libby tomorrow), First Edition sets our sights further afield, to the search for life on another red planet. It’s 50 years to the day since humankind’s first foray on Mars. On 20 July 1976, Viking 1 successfully touch...

By Michael Segalov