Roberta Score (US Antarctic Search for Meteorites Team) finds the meteorite ALH84001, which turns out to be a fragment of Mars; the meteorite is immediately noted for its unusual color. In 1996, possible signs of Martian life are found. The initial enthusiasm (supported by a press conference by President Clinton) soon gives way to other scientific interpretations, which do not imply life. Although there is no convincing evidence of Martian life, the initial paper and the enormous scientific and public attention it generated are considered turning points in the history of astrobiology.
