The Secret of Life Hardcover – January 1, 2001 by Paul J. McAuley 
 
In 2026, as a strange, fungus-like organism containing alien DNA begins to grow in the Pacific Ocean, threatening Earth's entire food chain, Dr. Mariella Anders is recruited by NASA to join an expedition to the planet Mars to uncover the secret of the lifeform. 35,000 first printing.
 
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