Thick Clumps of Bacteria Can Survive for Years in the Vacuum of Space

Gizmodo ^ | 08/26/2020 | George Dvorsky

[BenLurkin]

Deinococcus radiodurans is an extremophile microbe capable of surviving freezing cold temperatures, ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, and dehydration. And as new research published today in Frontiers in Microbiology shows, this bacterium can also survive the harsh conditions of outer space.

Dried out samples of Deinococcus were brought back to life after spending over three years on a panel outside the International Space Station.

Back in 2008, Yamagishi and his colleagues used aircraft and balloons to detect and document microbes floating in the upper atmosphere. Naturally, samples of Deinococcus radiodurans—a microbe Guinness World Records lists as the most radiation-resistant lifeform—were found at altitudes reaching 7.5 miles (12 km) above the Earth’s surface....Yamagishi sought to learn how it might fare in the harsh environment of space.

The team’s experimental design involved the samples being exposed to space for one-, two-, and three-year durations while resting on an exposure experiment module outside the International Space Station.

This allowed the researchers to develop a survival curve and to estimate the survival abilities of the bacteria over a longer period of time, explained Yamagishi in an email. Bacterial aggregates of varying thickness were exposed to space. The experiment, performed from 2015 to 2018, was done atop Kibo, the Japanese Experimental Module on the ISS.

Results showed that all clumps thicker than 0.5 millimeters partially survived the three-year exposure to space. Bacteria located along the outer surfaces of the aggregates were killed, but this created a kind of protective crust for the dehydrated microbes underneath, according to the research.

When asked how Deinococcus radiodurans is able to survive such harsh conditions, Yamagishi said it’s because “they have multiple copies of genomes and a heightened ability to repair damage done to DNA,” which they did once they were rehydrated.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Thick Clumps of Bacteria Can Survive for Years in the Vacuum of Space"

Big deal. Thick clumps of dust bunnies can survive for years in the space of my vacuum.

[rktman]

Hmmmm. Perhaps that could ‘splain traitorous senatorial can’t-i-date and anti 2nd amendment assclown margabby kelligiffords. Oh, and former ass-tro-naught.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

This should make scientists wary of bringing back soil samples from mars. We know that Mars used to be a wet world with a thick atmosphere capable of supporting life billions of years ago. it is entirely possible that single-cell organisms have managed to similarly adapt to the increasingly harsh condition of the martian enviroment and could be potentially dangerous.

[moovova]

“Thick clumps of dust bunnies can survive for years in the space of my vacuum.”

The Mayor of Under My Bed has declared that space a sanctuary city for dust bunnies. I can’t touch’em.

[mass55th]

They’ve survived for decades in the Democrat Party.

[Red Badger]

Well, that explains Amy Schumer.....................

[WKUHilltopper]

So then they’re saying launching these DemonRat traitors into space is no option?

[dp0622]

And Lord only knows what kind of bacteria we can bring back from Uranus

yes it had to be said by an immature simplistic moron who couldn’t pass it up. And I was just the guy!

[Calvin Locke]

During the Apollo program, astronauts brought back pieces of a lunar probe that had been there for a year or more.

It was on the order of a kilometer away from the landing zone, and the dust kicked up by the descent engine sand-blasted the exposed side clean.

Any way, NASA was able to revitalize staph bacteria from the retrieved pieces that survived the launch, trip, landing, and the heating and cooling on the lunar surface.

Bacteria that was originally and inadvertently deposited during the manufacture and handling before the probe’s launch.

That led to the pre-launch decom practices and testing for any future space probes.

[Pollard]

Great news for Micheal Moore

[Bob434]

[[Thick Clumps of Bacteria Can Survive for Years in the Vacuum of Space]]

Liberals in political positions are walking proof- what passes for a brain exists for years in their vacuum between their ears

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin.

· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe ·

Google news searches: exoplanet · exosolar · extrasolar ·

[ealgeone]

Why does The Green Slime come to mind?

[mywholebodyisaweapon]

Yes, only her bacteria name is “demococcus radiouranus.”

[DPMD]

Is this headline describing biden’s head?

[Vendome]

Yep years.

Brian Reynolds found out

[Vendome]

Idiotic. Childish comment

/S

[dp0622]

Yes it was and I was up to the task!!! :)

So there may be incredibly old life forms out there.

In a vacuum. If it’s Electrolux they could last for billions of years easy!

I’m here all week folks try the veal it’s great! :)

[Buckeye McFrog]

That must mean COVID-19 can live there for a few millenia before jumping 5 feet 11 inches into my cat, causing his kidneys to explode.