What
this tells us is that just about any planetary environment is
prospective for life if water has accumulated in ice caps. It may be
severely localized, but somewhere microbial life can be established.
It
also tells us that if life ever existed on Mars, it likely still
exists deep down were the temperature gradient works. In short, Mars
is prospective for microbial life.
In
practice, the argument for persuasive microbial life throughout the
solar system has been well fleshed out during the past thirty years.
It still has to be substantiated, and it is certainly not a surface
phenomena anywhere else, but our knowledge of microbial limits have
been hugely pushed out.
Arctic bacteria
discovered on Earth may prove life can thrive on Mars
Life on Mars may look
similar to life in the Arctic.
By Staff, The Space
Reporter
Friday, May 24, 2013
Scientists say a newly
discovered form of life found living in subzero temperatures of –15
Celsius may resemble life living underground on Mars.
Bacteria found living
in the permafrost of the High Arctic seem to thrive in an environment
long thought to be nearly inhospitable to all forms of life. However,
it now seems that a Canadian-led team of researchers from McGill
University have uncovered a new microbe,Planococcus halocryophilus,
capable of reproducing at a record-setting temperature of –15
Celsius.
Traveling to the far
north island of Ellesmere, MGill University microbiologists Lyle
Whyte and Nadia Mykytczuk, collected samples of the microbe, placing
them in simulated environments, which were then cultured.
It remains unclear how
the microbes have adapted to the extreme cold. Researchers say
additional studies could show the microbes are capable of living and
reproducing at even colder temperatures, which may further rewrite
the record books. Current experiments have shown the organisms remain
alive even as the thermometer drops to –25 degrees Celsius.
Preliminary research
seems to indicate that microbes have evolved to develop
cold-resistant proteins and especially well-adapted membranes.
Examining the genome and cellular structure, the researchers were
able to begin determining the exact evolutionary changes undertaken
by the microbes over the past several hundreds of thousands of years,
although additional research is needed.
While researchers were
able to regrow specimens fairly easily, the team noted that it was
incredibly difficult maintaining the microbes in a liquid environment
at such cold temperatures. However, once they succeeded, they found
the bacteria grew at a stunning rate, doubling in numbers once every
40 days. While the reproductive figures far exceed those observed in
nature, Whyte says the microbes would still probably reproduce 100 to
1,000 times more slowly.
While the study
captured the attention of astronomers, it captured NASA’s attention
for an entirely different reason. The space agency reportedly offered
its assistance in ensuring the samples were not contaminated.
According to researchers, the original specimens came from a
NASA-drilled ice core, which was part of an experiment to examine
drilling conditions on Mars.
The discovery could
have otherworldly ramifications. Experts say chances of discovering
life on other planets, including Mars, may very well depend on life’s
ability to exist and thrive in conditions once thought to be
inhabitable. While scientists have long posited that various forms of
life could exist at temperatures both hot and cold, relatively few
have been discovered. The discovery likely raises the likelihood of
discovering signs of life outside of Earth. Some experts suggest
bacteria life may lurk on Saturn’s moon Enceladus or
Jupiter’s Io.
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