In a first-of-its-kind study, a research team found that ancientbacteria could live on the surface of Mars for a long time. When thebacteria are buried, they can survive for a long time. When Mars' first samples come back to Earth, scientists should be looking for ancient sleepingbacteria.
If life ever existed on Mars, its biological remains could be found in future missions, including the Mars Life Explorer, which will carry drills to extract materials from 2 meters below the surface.
Future astronauts and space tourists could accidentally introduce their own hitchhikingbacteria to Mars because the scientists proved that certain strains ofbacteria can survive.
The paper is going to be published in the journal.
A professor of pathology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is a member of the National Academies' Committee. The threat of biological agents such as Anthrax is a concern to military and homeland defense.
A senior co-author of the study said that the study concluded that Mars would be contaminated over a long period of time. It could make it harder to look for life on Mars. If microbes evolved on Mars, they could live on the red planet for a long time. The return of Mars samples could cause harm to Earth.
He is a professor in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The chemistry of life processes institute is where he is a member.
It's possible to imagine Mars.
Mars is a harsh place. The Red Planet is cold and arid at the mid-latitudes. Mars is bombarded by both solar and Cosmic Radiation.
In order to find out if or not life could survive in these conditions, the limits of ionizing radiation were determined. Six types of Earthlingbacteria and fungi were exposed to a frozen and dry Martian surface and zapped with radiation to mimic the effects of space radiation.
There isn't a lot of water in the atmosphere of Mars, so it would be hard for cells and organisms to survive. The surface temperature on Mars is similar to dry ice, so it is deep frozen.
The researchers determined that some organisms could survive on Mars over a long period of time. The researchers found that one robust microbe, Deinococcus radiodurans, is well-suited to surviving Mars' harsh conditions.
Radiation that is radical.
The team exposed samples to large amounts of radiation and small amounts of radiation to see how it would affect them.
The team at Northwestern used an advanced technique to measure the amount of anti-oxidants in the organisms. The size of the radiation dose that a microorganism can survive depends on the amount of vitamins and minerals it has. It means more resistance to radiation and improved survival.
The equivalent of 1.2 million years below Mars' surface is how long the Bacterium can survive in liquid. The study found that when the hardy bacterium is dried, frozen and buried, it can weather a lot of radiation. This dose is more lethal than a human would be.
When it's shaded or located below the surface of Mars, the life of the Bacterium improves dramatically. The survival period for Conan the Bacterium has increased to 1.5 million years. The pumpkin-colored bacterium could survive for over one billion years.
Looking towards the future.
The researchers found that part of the survival feat is due to the bacterium's genetic structure. The researchers found that the chromosomes and plasmids are linked and ready for repair after intense radiation.
During a time when water last flowed on Mars, the living remains of a microbe could still be found in the deepest part of the planet.
Although D. radiodurans can't survive for 2 to 2.5 billion years since flowing water disappeared on Mars, the environment on the planet is regularly altered and melted by meteorites. Periodic melting could allow dispersal and repopulation. Even if viable life forms are not present on Mars, their macromolecules and viruses would live a long time. That makes it more likely that this will be revealed in future missions.
There is a study on the effects of desiccation and freezing on radiation survivability.
More information: Effects of desiccation and freezing on microbial ionizing radiation survivability: Considerations for Mars sample-return, Astrobiology (2022). DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0065 Journal information: Astrobiology
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