The Week contest: NASA apology

This week's question: A German astrobiologist has theorized that a 1970s NASA mission intended to find microbial life on Mars may have accidentally drowned some of it. In seven or fewer words, come up with an apology message NASA could transmit into space if this killer theory turns out to be true.

Click here to see the results of last week's contest: Werewolf bill

RESULTS:

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THE WINNER: "Sorry, but we do worse at home"

Nicholas Fofonoff, New York City, New York

SECOND PLACE: "One giant misstep for mankind"

Bill Levine, Belmont, Massachusetts

THIRD PLACE: "We're sorry our Rover left a puddle"

Erica Avery, Greenfield, Massachusetts

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

"Oh well. Elon Musk will colonize you anyway"

Len Rosen, Wilmington, Delaware

"Sorry about Mars — new to space invading"

Skip Flanagan, Roseville, California

"Hey, we killed the planet Pluto entirely"

Jesse Rifkin, Arlington, Virginia

"The unexamined life is not worth living" — Socrates

Patrick Wyss, Rapid City, South Dakota

"Sorry, they were on Nixon's enemies list"

Daniel Hicks, Randolph, Massachusetts

"Sorry, no lifeguard on duty"

Adam Turteltaub, Encino, California

"Sorry, the microscope's mirror fogged up."

William S. Michaels, North Canton, Ohio

"Please don't be an angry red planet…"

Mike Reiss, New York City, New York

"Pardon my one small step"

Joseph Moore, Independence, Missouri

"Under new management: No obits, just orbits"

Larry Hance, Barboursville, Virginia