By Adrian Berry, Science Correspondent

THE space agency Nasa is preparing its legal defences against possible accusations of introducing dangerous alien life forms to Earth.

At stake is a robotic mission to Mars to be launched in 2005 which is aimed at bringing back Martian rocks and soil for study on Earth.

According to an article in today's New Scientist, agency officials fear the mission could be stopped - or delayed by years of litigation by groups claiming that, if the returning craft crash-landed, alien "bugs" could be released.

While most scientists think there is very little chance of finding any living Martian organisms, the agency is taking the precaution of applying for permission to set up quarantine facilities in every American state and as many foreign countries as it can.

Mars and Earth both have zones where storms are most likely to occur and from similar causes. "Earth's coastal regions and the region around the giant mountain Olympus Mons in the north of Mars both have a tendency to produce violent storms," said Prof Jeffery Hollingsworth, of San Jose State University, in today's Nature.

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