Scientists tested whether tiny life can survive the violent forces of an asteroid impact and then the cold of space. They used a desert bacterium called Deinococcus radiodurans. This microbe lives in Chilean deserts and resists cold, dryness and strong radiation.
In the lab the team put bacteria between metal plates and fired a projectile at them with a gas gun. The projectile reached high speed and created very high pressures. Many bacteria survived lower pressures and some survived higher pressures. In one experiment a metal holder failed before the bacteria died. The results suggest that rocks thrown off Mars might carry life to nearby bodies, and this affects rules for spacecraft and returned samples.
Difficult words
- impact — a strong hit or collision between objects
- microbe — a very small living organism, often single-celled
- resist — to be able to not be harmed by somethingresists
- projectile — an object moved at high speed through the air
- pressure — a force that pushes on somethingpressures
- spacecraft — a vehicle designed to travel in space
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you be worried if microbes could travel on rocks between planets? Why or why not?
- Do you think rules for spacecraft should change because of these results? Explain simply.
- Have you ever heard of places on Earth with very tough microbes? What do you remember about them?
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