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Probability of Life on Mars Improves.


StringJunky

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Antarctic fungi survive Martian conditions on the International Space Station

Scientists have gathered tiny fungi that take shelter in Antarctic rocks and sent them to the International Space Station. After 18 months on board in conditions similar to those on Mars, more than 60 percent of their cells remained intact, with stable DNA. The results provide new information for the search for life on the red planet. Lichens from the Sierra de Gredos (Spain) and the Alps (Austria) also traveled into space for the same experiment. >>>>> Read more

 

 

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Here is the abstract of the paper.

 

Dehydrated Antarctic cryptoendolithic communities and colonies of the rock inhabitant black fungi Cryomyces antarcticus (CCFEE 515) and Cryomyces minteri (CCFEE 5187) were exposed as part of the Lichens and Fungi Experiment (LIFE) for 18 months in the European Space Agency's EXPOSE-E facility to simulated martian conditions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Upon sample retrieval, survival was proved by testing colony-forming ability, and viability of cells (as integrity of cell membrane) was determined by the propidium monoazide (PMA) assay coupled with quantitative PCR tests. Although less than 10% of the samples exposed to simulated martian conditions were able to proliferate and form colonies, the PMA assay indicated that more than 60% of the cells and rock communities had remained intact after the “Mars exposure.” Furthermore, a high stability of the DNA in the cells was demonstrated. The results contribute to assessing the stability of resistant microorganisms and biosignatures on the surface of Mars, data that are valuable information for further search-for-life experiments on Mars. Key Words: Endoliths—Eukaryotes—Extremophilic microorganisms—Mars—Radiation resistance.

 

Onofri Silvano, de Vera Jean-Pierre, Zucconi Laura, Selbmann Laura, Scalzi Giuliano, Venkateswaran Kasthuri J., Rabbow Elke, de la Torre Rosa, and Horneck Gerda. Astrobiology. December 2015, 15(12): 1052-1059. doi:10.1089/ast.2015.1324.

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However, life living under the Martian surface would have better living conditions, maybe even liquid water deep enough under the surface. They would be sheltered from radiation. What can the atmosphere be like in voids under the surface?

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However, life living under the Martian surface would have better living conditions, maybe even liquid water deep enough under the surface. They would be sheltered from radiation. What can the atmosphere be like in voids under the surface?

 

 

I think it's reasonable to assume that at some depth Mars and Earth are nearly the same, I live in an area where the water table is totally anaerobic infused with Hydrogen sulfide and bacteria live there...

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  • 2 weeks later...

The exchange of rocks between Earth and Mars from large meteor impacts that hurl surface rocks into solar orbit, making asteroids, means the two planets may share life from the same abiogenesis event. It would be exciting if Mars had its own abiogenesis that survived in spite of being contaminated by life from Earth, moreover, that we could identify them both. We know so little about abiogenesis, do we know that we could see differences in life from two abiogenesis events?

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The exchange of rocks between Earth and Mars from large meteor impacts that hurl surface rocks into solar orbit, making asteroids, means the two planets may share life from the same abiogenesis event. It would be exciting if Mars had its own abiogenesis that survived in spite of being contaminated by life from Earth, moreover, that we could identify them both. We know so little about abiogenesis, do we know that we could see differences in life from two abiogenesis events?

If the chirality (right or left handedness) of certain amino acids or sugars were different to that, which is common to life on Earth, might be one way. Isotopic composition of certain elements might be another. This idea would be nullified If the chirality from the two planets was the same, then one might propose that life's basic ingredients was 'imported' from somewhere else rather than started on that particular planet from scratch. The same conclusion could be derived for isotopic composition.

Edited by StringJunky
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If the chirality (right or left handedness) of certain amino acids or sugars were different to that, which is common to life on Earth, might be one way. Isotopic composition of certain elements might be another. This idea would be nullified If the chirality from the two planets was the same, then one might propose that life's basic ingredients was 'imported' from somewhere else rather than started on that particular planet from scratch. The same conclusion could be derived for isotopic composition.

Are you saying there are some indicators that would definitely indicate two genesis events; on the other hand, two genesis events might create life with identical chirality, and differentiation between one and two events would not be possible?

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Are you saying there are some indicators that would definitely indicate two genesis events; on the other hand, two genesis events might create life with identical chirality, and differentiation between one and two events would not be possible?

That's what I was saying, it's not all-encompassing. It works if they are different but not if they are the same.

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