The gynecologist on hand didn't find any signs of life, so he passed the baby to a neonatal doctor who also didn't find vital signs, Meirino said.

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But Italy's transport minister Alessandro Bianchi has expressed doubts that the buyout fund will make a bid, saying their tender doesn't "give big signs of life".

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Moreover, the Curiosity rover, which is equipped with 11 scientific instruments to probe for conditions suitable for life, isn't designed to detect the signs of microbial activity or any traces of fossilized bacteria.

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