Tanpopo Findings: Space-Exposed Deinococcus Survive via DNA Protection, Informing Panspermia Debates
To the point
Akihiko Yamagishi and colleagues showed Deinococcus bacteria can survive years in space with outer layers dying yet protecting DNA, aided by DNA repair, a finding that supports panspermia ideas such as lithopanspermia and fuels ongoing debate with proponents like Chandra Wickramasinghe and critics like Avi Loeb, while noting discoveries of terrestrial bacteria at high altitudes.
