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Panspermia hypothesis proposes that life travels between stars and planets, surviving the effects of interstellar journeys and finally settling down on a planetary surface, beginning new evolutionary processes. The microorganisms can be transported to random destinations by asteroids, comets or meteoroids or distributed intentionally by some intelligent alien civilization. But with Earth as the only example of a life-bearing planet, the essential question is: If panspermia really occurs, how could we detect it?
"It is possible for life to be carried by rocks which are ejected from one planet, after an impact by an asteroid, and land on another planet. This can happen by chance if the two planets are in the same planetary system or, with smaller likelihood, if they are in different systems. Although this process is possible, we have no evidence for it," said Abraham Loeb, chair of the Department of Astronomy at the Harvard University, in an interview with Phys.org. Loeb is the co-author of a paper published in Astrophysical Journal Letters suggesting that if life spreads via panspermia, it does it in a characteristic pattern that we could identify.
His research shows that this pattern would be similar to the outbreak of an epidemic. The panspermia theory and the model introduced by Loeb and his colleagues may be the keystone in the search for extraterrestrial life for future generations. Moreover, Loeb believes that we will soon find traces of alien microorganisms.
http://phys.org/news/2015-10-life-universe.html
[Abstract/Paper]: http://arxiv.org/abs/1507.05614
[Also Covered By]: Life Might Spread Across Universe Like an 'Epidemic' in New Math Theory
[Related]: Panspermia and the Origin of Life on Earth
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday October 19 2015, @09:37PM
I think a good step would be to replicate the conditions of Mars in the lab, aka the soil, thin atmosphere, very little water, very cold but with temperature swings. Then chuck in some varieties of bacteria and see what happens. We have found extremophiles all over and under Earth but Mars is a step up from those environments.
I like the idea of life developing on Earth in favorable conditions and spreading elsewhere through panspermia.
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(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Monday October 19 2015, @11:17PM
I think a good step would be to replicate the conditions of Mars in the lab
I wouldn't have thought that this would be terribly hard to do. I have never heard of anyone doing this experiment however, but it seems like it would answer a whole lot of questions.
Or even better, find a whole lot more questions to ask.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 19 2015, @11:40PM
I remember reading about such experiments, and the result was that radiation killed anything less than about a yard deep on Mars. There may yet be microbes that can stand higher radiation, but the researchers couldn't find any in their samples.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday October 20 2015, @12:25AM
I guess an Earth-origin meteorite impact could help with driving some microbes underground, assuming it doesn't vaporize them in the process. Once they are there, it would be a challenge to reproduce and conquer the soil.
If a meteorite from Earth can deliver microbes to a body with an icy liquid ocean, that environment may be more suitable than the crust of Mars.
I'm only excited about finding microbes in the icy reaches of our solar system to the extent that it can help us refine the Drake equation.
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(Score: 2) by Gravis on Tuesday October 20 2015, @02:30AM
takyon, bro. i refuse to let you ruin another project because we already know what will happen if we build another environmental containment lab. it will be just like the Titan project. first we build the lab, then you bust open the containment door and start jerkin' it while yelling "PAAANSPEEEERRRMIAAAAAA!".
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday October 20 2015, @05:58AM
An experiment that is repeatable is a success!
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