[meteorite-list] Can Microbes Survive a Million-Year Space Journey? Experts Say Yes

From: JoshuaTreeMuseum <joshuatreemuseum_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:48:15 -0400
Message-ID: <2D4D2972975F4C14AD4CC56682083A28_at_ET>

Can Microbes Survive a Million-Year Space Journey? Experts Say Yes
By Jason McManus
16 September 2009

In a unique experiment on a galactic scale, millions of bacterial spores
have been purposely exposed to space, to see how solar radiation affects
them and the results supported the idea that not only could life have
arrived on Earth on meteorites, but that considerable material has
flowed between planets.

Closer to home, scientists have analyzed aerial dust samples collected
by Charles Darwin and confirmed that microbes can travel across
continents without the need for planes or trains - rather bacteria and
fungi hitch-hike by attaching to dust particles. Their results clearly
show that diverse microbes, including ascomycetes, and eubacteria can
live for centuries and survive intercontinental travel.
----------------------------------------------------

It takes a huge leap of faith to go from a few centuries and
intercontinental travel to MILLIONS of years traveling in OUTER SPACE!
Extrapolation to the extreme.

If the UV doesn't get 'em surely the Van Allen radiation will over the (how
many years?) in a declining orbit around the Earth.

Quote: "In a rock a meter across, bacteria could probably survive for
millions of years"
Re(butt)al: "Yes, and monkeys could probably fly out of my butt."

So where exactly are these imaginary panspermic endospores coming from?
Certainly not from Mars. My guess is an undiscovered planet called Pie In
The Sky.

Of course, it'll only take the discovery of one single ET in a meteorite for
me to adjust my belief system accordingly.

Emperically yours,

Phil Whitmer
Received on Wed 16 Sep 2009 12:48:15 PM PDT