They conducted their research on the International Space Station, confirming the possibility of “panspermia,” the theory that life can spread through space via floating bacteria.
The new study from Japanese researchers confirms the potential for widespread life in the universe through bacteria that attach to celestial bodies, known as panspermia. The scientists found that bacteria outside the International Space Station could survive in space for many years. The research team also concluded that the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans used in the experiment could potentially travel from Earth to Mars, suggesting the possibility of our origins originating from outside Earth.
To understand how bacteria can withstand the harsh conditions of space, scientists sent Deinococcal cell clusters to the International Space Station. The samples, measuring about 1mm in diameter, were attached to aluminum plates placed outside the station. For three years, the bacterial samples were returned to Earth from space for further study.
The researchers discovered that while the outer layer of the clusters was destroyed by intense ultraviolet radiation, the inner layers remained alive. Essentially, they were protected by the dead bacteria on the outer layer. In a laboratory environment, they could repair DNA damage and even thrive further.
The scientists estimate that bacteria like these can survive in space for up to 8 years. Akihiko Yamagishi from Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences in Japan stated that their work demonstrates that bacteria not only can survive in space but could also be the source of life spreading throughout the universe through panspermia.
Yamagishi told New Scientist, “If bacteria can survive in space, they can be transported from one planet to another. We don’t know where life originated. If life originated on Earth, it could have been transferred to Mars. Alternatively, if life originated on Mars, it could have been transferred to Earth…meaning we may have originated from Mars.”
Could life on Earth have originated from space?
During its early formation, Earth was constantly bombarded by meteorites. It was also hit by a planet the size of Mars called Theia. Some theories suggest that this event led to the formation of our moon. This occurred about 4.5 billion years ago, and life began to emerge about 4 billion years ago. Is there any connection between all these impacts and our existence? Considering the slow pace of evolution and the relatively rapid appearance of life after Earth cooled down, panspermia is a plausible explanation.
Another intriguing aspect of the discovery of panspermia is that if we originated as microorganisms from another planet, wouldn’t there be more life throughout the universe, with similar origins to ours? It is possible that the universe is teeming with life.