To: GeronL; All
Earth organisms that can survive space?
Do you really think those organisms can survive on Mars?
Yes, an yes, actually. Recent experiments have shown that some microbial communities adapted to low temperatures, high altitude, and living inside rocks can survive space exposure long enough to reach Mars- they were stuck outside the International Space Station for 1.5 years.
Even more impressive was an experiment earlier this year where a group took some high altitude lichens and exposed them to the surface conditions of Mars (atmospheric composition, atmospheric pressure, temperature, and radiation) for 34 days. The lichena survived in cracks and crevices and actually carried on photosynthesis just fine.
The research is done by Jean-Pierre Paul de Vera at the German Aerospace Center for Experimental Planetary physics.
Tardigrades (small animals) have been stuck out in space in experiments and survived too. Some organisms are incredibly tough.
31 posted on
09/10/2012 9:00:16 AM PDT by
verum ago
(Be a bastard, and Karma'll be a bitch.)
To: verum ago
interesting
so they are probably ALREADY on Mars then
33 posted on
09/10/2012 9:02:50 AM PDT by
GeronL
(The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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