Lithopanspermia Reassessed: Deinococcus radiodurans Survives Simulated High-Pressure Ejecta
- The piece summarizes a study that reevaluates lithopanspermia—the idea that life can hop between worlds on rocky debris ejected by asteroid impacts. - Researchers used Deinococcus radiodurans, a tough desert bacterium, as a model for potential Martian life and simulated asteroid ejecta by placing bacteria between metal plates and firing a projectile at about 300 mph, generating pressures of 1–3 gigapascals (GPa). - Results showed remarkable survival: at 1.4 GPa, 100% of the bacteria survived with no apparent damage; at 2.4 GPa, about 60% survived with only some membrane and internal damage. The steel structure holding the plates often failed before all bacteria could be killed, indicating greater resilience than expected. - The findings suggest lithopanspermia could be more plausible than previously thought, implying that microbes from Mars could potentially hitch a ride on ejected rocks and reach Earth, and possibly other locations such as Mars’s moon Phobos. - The study notes that life would still need to endure additional extreme conditions (freezing, desiccation, radiation) during transit, and while the results lend plausibility to the hypothesis, it remains an open question rather than a proven mechanism. Lead author Dr Lily Zhao and senior author Professor Kalita Ramesh are highlighted as the researchers behind this work.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
