So if Curiosity discovers life on Mars.. What impact does this have on the Earth?

Last one switches the light off.
(this was literally THE in joke after the Berlin wall came down, when a certain amount of East Germans headed for the West, not knowing if the border would really stay open)

More serious answer: Tells us how small we really are.

It will finally answer David Bowie's question!

Chances are slim, beyond bacteria etc - if that's found then it'll lead to more research etc but nothing significant most likely, and nothing which will see NASA's budget/remit increase.  Same goes if they get conclusive evidence and info about Mars having life in the past.

The biggest impact would come if they establish that Mars could sustain life in the future, which is part of what they're trying to discover - that opens the doors much wider.

If they discover oil, however, then that's a game changer!  You can guarantee that the prospect of manned missions will speed up significantly.  The reality is that the vast majority of celebrated feats were motivated by one of 2 things - the promise of a "return" (discovery of the Americas, for example), or defense (the Apollo missions, Great Wall of China etc).  Exploration for explorations sake, and the glory of scientific discovery have always taken a back seat, even moreso these days, which explains why the US militaty's funding last year was greater than the sum total of all funding NASA has had over the past 50 years!

the population on earth would diminish, and you'd be doomed Brad.. Hahahahahhaha

Mike you could always say that military's budget being more vast than NASA's is a result of the USA having more people who are capable of being grenade food than capable of being rocket scientists.... I'm just sayin...lol

I would be able to have a martian as a pet.

Hahaha, I love this idea! :P

To be honest, they're really looking for hard evidence that Mars had running water at some point in the past, and therefore whether it could ever have supported life.

Furthermore, if there is some liquid water still extant on the planet, not only is that scientifically interesting, but it also raises the chance of a colonization mission being successful.

*volunteers to be RL for 4N Mars*

I don't think religion would take a big dip.. I think they would just do like they always do... change their story.  It's God's way in the grand scheme of things...

If they find water underground along with rich materials then we will be colonising and mining the planet before the end of the centruy.

Isn't unfounded belief in life on Mars just the same as unfounded belief in religion? Come back with the question when it is reality and that may be a better debate. Or..... let's theorise about what would happen if Noah's Ark is found.