Are Extremophiles Everywhere?

[EdEarl]

It seems that wherever we look, life is present.

A total of 314 different types of bacteria were collected in air masses around 10 kilometres above the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the continental United States.

From: http://www.nature.com/news/high-flying-bacteria-spark-interest-in-possible-climate-effects-1.12310

 

Will we find life on asteroids and comets?

 

[EdEarl]

Is it possible that airborne microbes have escaped Earth and are floating in space?

[dimreepr]

Like any living creature, three needs must be met, to be active, so airborne microbes lack at least one need if in a vacuum.

[EdEarl]

Like any living creature, three needs must be met, to be active, so airborne microbes lack at least one need if in a vacuum.

True, but some bacteria can become dormant in a state called myxospores, in which they are more resistant to the environment. And, the oldest living bacteria is more than half a million years old, in permafrost.

 

Could myxospores of a long living bacteria can survive long enough to encounter a wet asteroid, and then how long might they survive?

[dimreepr]

An intriguing question, but one I fear will never be answered, panspermia is such an interesting hypothesis.

[EdEarl]

An intriguing question, but one I fear will never be answered, panspermia is such an interesting hypothesis.

Perhaps not, but if someone can think of a way airborne bacteria can be blown into space (maybe by solar wind), it would be worth looking in asteroids for bacteria.

[CharonY]

Actually myxospores normally only refer to spores of myxobacteria. The rest would commonly just be known as spores. Spores can likely survive exiting the atmosphere, but obviously there would be virtually no metabolism considering the lack of water and the low temperature, for starters.

[EdEarl]

Actually myxospores normally only refer to spores of myxobacteria. The rest would commonly just be known as spores. Spores can likely survive exiting the atmosphere, but obviously there would be virtually no metabolism considering the lack of water and the low temperature, for starters.

ty spores. Metabolism in space is not essential for panspermia, only long term survival.

 

IMO abiogenesis is more likely to be the source of life on Earth than panspermia, but there is no reason to exclude any possibility ATM.

[CharonY]

No, I agree, with current knowledge we cannot rule out that panspermia occured on Earth. Of course that means that someplace else abiogenesis must happened. That however, is relatively unrelated to the question of extremophiles as those are masters in living (and metabolizing) under extremely harsh conditions. But space would be too much for that. And conversely, known bacteria that produce spores are mostly mesophiles.

[EdEarl]

Oh, the airborne bacteria seem to be extremophiles, which might escape into space. Common bacteria on the surface of the earth have much less chance of escaping into space. I didn't intend to say extremophiles might thrive in space. Perhaps bacteria settling on an asteroid is not relevant to their survival, IDK. But, it seemed a bit of ice and rock would make spores safer, by protecting them from some radiation and a bit of moisture to keep them from drying. Maybe the ice wouldn't provide moisture, if it heated from getting close to the Sun (or a star) it would sublimate. My knowledge of biology is, obviously, meager.

 

True, abiogenesis must have occurred somewhere. And, panspermia seems unlikely ATM. If airborne bacteria can be shown able to readily escape earth, panspermia is more likely, but still seems unlikely because without a rocket interstellar travel is almost unimaginable.

Edited June 22, 2013 by EdEarl

[BrightQuark]

How about as a consequence of a large asteroid collision, which if large enough might scatter debris beyond the atmosphere, thinking here of an extinction event size of asteroid, has to be some irony in there.somewhere.

 

And is it conceivable that the moon's gravitational pull might have some tiny influence once the debris has been blown clear of the atmosphere, given it's effect on the tides, some kind of distrubution effect?

 

- just a few thoughts.

Edited June 26, 2013 by BrightQuark

[EdEarl]

I believe a large meteor strike could eject matter including life into space, but they are rare. A higher the probability of life escaping its home planet improves the chances panspermia being an important means of spreading life in the galaxy.