The recent methane finds in the martian atmosphere may indicate life
on Mars. But what are the implications of finding life, that has been
born separately from our own (which may not be the case, if life will
be found on Mars) outside Earth?

To science? Huge. To people, like me, who are interested on these
kind of stuff? Huge. But to the ordinary (which I mean people not
"obsessed" with these kind of things, because of their work, hobby
etc.) people? Probably not too great, except maybe in the first few
days.

Why? Because I think that most people are not really interested on
these kind of things. For example, I have been thrilled to observe
the finding of new planets outside our own solar system. Over 120
planets in about 100 solar systems (and "pulsar systems") have
been found since 1994. Yet, when I try to speak about these findings
to other people, they are not interested, except of courtesy. I have
found out that extrasolar planets are far less interesting subject than
I have thought of. In fact, even academically educated people may ask
me, "Are you talking about astronomy or astrology?" when I talk about
these fascinating finds, and be pretty much ignorant on the subject.

Yet, on the average people find astronomy, my hobby, more interesting
than history, which I study. For example, I am now writing an exam
paper about how the concept of heresy changed from the 12th to the
14th century. Not the best subject for small talk, I have to admit.

In the end, the finding of life outside Earth will be hailed as great news
and will claimed to have changed our worldview. Of course it will, slowly,
when it will become fact in school books and class rooms. Yet one can
ask, how much really the average Europeans, who in the 1490s and
1500s heard news about the finding of a new land beyond the seas,
really cared about it? Did it change their life? Did they wake up in the
next morning to a brand new world? I doubt it.