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ISS Expose-E seems to support the idea of panspermia

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posted on Feb, 4 2010 @ 09:20 AM
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ISS Expose-E seems to support the idea of panspermia

(Note to Mods, I’ve not used images so as not to infringe copyright laws and used Italics to emphasize quotes taken from other references on the net and provided the source material)


Ok first off I’ve used the search function to find out if this has been brought to the board in the past, I can find many references to ‘panspermia’ but with recent results uncovered on the ISS I’d like to reopen the topic, what I want to bring to the board today is all based around science fact, not the theory that little green men from the planet zeeboro-centintee seeded life on Earth.


What is panspermia?

The theory that micro-organisms or biochemical compounds from outer space are responsible for originating life on Earth and possibly in other parts of the universe where suitable atmospheric conditions exist.

source


What is the Expose-E experiment?

Exposure Experiment (Expose) is a multi-user facility having a box-shaped structure accommodating experiments in the following disciplines: photo processing, photo-biology and exobiology.

source

In layman’s terms the experiment comprises of a suitcase sized box with compartments divided into two layers of three experiment trays, each holding four square boxes. Some of these boxes hold an array of biological or biochemical samples in small compartments. These are then exposed to varying degrees to the harsh environment of space, including hard vacuum, extreme temperature changes and radiation. One experiment had gas inside the box with an optical filter imitating the solar spectrum and the atmosphere of Mars.

Expose-E, was launched in February 2008 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis and carried back to Earth by Space Shuttle Discovery in September 2009. A total of 664 biological and biochemical samples were exposed to open space for 18 months.
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In the Expose experiment they used a variety of organisms, some of these included lichens, water-bears, brine shrimp and larvae of the African midge Polypedilum vanderplank.

I’ll concentrate on two of the experiments that I find very fascinating.

Water Bears (or ‘Tardigrades')

Tardigrades, or Water Bears, or Moss Piglets are a small phylum of around 1000 known species of truly amazing animals that capture the hearts of all that get to know them. (435 species are know from Europe) They are related to arthropods, probably originating from a similar proto-arthropod ancestor. They have an external cuticle, though it is built up from a protein compound called an albuminoid rather than from the chitin that comprises the insect cuticle.

source

Truly amazing little critters, some species can survive temperatures as low as -200 for more than 20 days and others can survive temperatures as high as 125C well above the boiling point of water. Makes my head boggle thinking about the conditions some of these small phylum can survive in. They survived in perfect health upon their return to Earth with some even going on to reproduce.



Xanthoria Elegans (Common Names: Elegant Sunburst, Elegant Orange, Elegant
Orange Wall Lichen, and Rock Orange)


Bright orange foliose lichen on rock. Surface somewhat coarse. Underside pale, with very few hapters. Apotheciate. All orange pigment K+ instantly deep wine red.

source

This amazing lichen can be found in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth, they have the capability to ‘switch off’ if they find themselves in conditions unsuited to their environment, once they return to a better suited environment they carry on living, the lichen has been used for many things here on Earth including, lichenometry (dating of exposed rock) and can provide lichen extracts for cancer-preventing effects, (the extract of X. elegans shows significant ability to enhance the activity of quinone reductase, an enzyme that breaks down certain potential carcinogens, rendering them less harmful)

The Lichen survived the exposure on the ISS and went on to be described by some scientists that “they are the best survivors we know,”

So here we have two examples of life that can survive in the harshness of space, some even go on to reproduce, the problem with the panspermia theory so far isn’t the survival in space, it’s the entry process into Earth’s atmosphere, this problem is being thought about and the possibility of life surviving this process deep inside a space rock has been put out there by René Demets, a biologist working in the ESA.

Quote: “The loose end in this theory is now arrival at a planet, because no living thing can survive the fiery entry through an atmosphere, But possibly deep inside a space rock the conditions are better. Therefore we’re now thinking of an astrobiology experiment involving a return to Earth”.

source

I for one eagerly await this experiment and it’s results, because my own personal belief is life was seeded on Earth from other planets, some of the facts I’ve found on the net and brought before the board here back that theory i.e. life can survive in space, the next step is to confirm the entry process is possible, if it is possible we have a very good case for 'panspermia' not being a theory anymore, it’ll be a possibility backed by science fact.


[edit on 4-2-2010 by Majestic RNA]



posted on Feb, 4 2010 @ 09:43 AM
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I heard of this subject a while back.
Very thought provoking stuff.
Theres a thread with a bit more about those tough little water bears here:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The panspermia theory has always made sense to me.




posted on Feb, 4 2010 @ 09:50 AM
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reply to post by Silcone Synapse
 



Yeah I agree Silcone Synapse, when I was researching them I couldn’t help having respect for this tiny critter, the fact they can survive in space and then go on to reproduce when brought back to Earth is mind blowing..

Cheers for the link



posted on Feb, 4 2010 @ 11:33 AM
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Yeah,tough little critters indeed,and they look really cool as well.



The Lichen is fascinating too-what if we could work out what allows them to live in space,then implant that ability into other plants?

We could farm our veg in space!
Imagine the size of the veg you would get in zero G,and closer to the sun.
Got to be worth a try-it could even lead to some kind of plant based solar panels or even a biological space propulsion system!

On Panspermia,do you rember this story from India in 2006?


All along the coast it rained crimson, turning local people's clothes pink, burning leaves on trees and falling as scarlet sheets at some points. Investigations suggested the rain was red because winds had swept up dust from Arabia and dumped it on Kerala. But Godfrey Louis, a physicist at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, after gathering samples left over from the rains, concluded this was nonsense. 'If you look at these particles under a microscope, you can see they are not dust, they have a clear biological appearance.' Instead Louis decided that the rain was made up of bacteria-like material that had been swept to Earth from a passing comet. In short, it rained aliens over India during the summer of 2001.


www.guardian.co.uk...

Other scientists disagreed with him,but its possible I think.
It makes sense to me that life always finds a way,however harsh the environment.The basic building blocks of life are not that fussy it seems-I am thinking of the bacteria/plankton which survive in deep heated ocean vents,or the seeds which actually NEED to be burned before they can germinate.

On the water bears and Lichen,I really have to wonder if they could be evidence that life on earth did come from the stars-What I mean is,how on earth did they aqquire the ability to survive in space...Was it something that some tiny part of their DNA had experienced before-on their journey here eons ago?




posted on Feb, 4 2010 @ 12:23 PM
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reply to post by Silcone Synapse
 


The Lichen is fascinating too-what if we could work out what allows them to live in space,then implant that ability into other plants

From what I can gather their ability to ‘switch off’ is what allows them to survive in space, as to whether we could genetically enhance other plants I really couldn’t tell you, but it’s a very good question, it would be nice if a member on here who’s versed in the subject could enlighten us. Farming food in space I would imagine (don’t know this for a fact) would cause problems with radiation poison when ingested but there are experiments on the ISS growing plants in zero gravity, and it does give food for thought (pun intended
we could have potato’s the size of watermelons!!…

As you say the possibilities are endless if we can harness plant growth in space, we use bio-fuels for propulsion here on Earth I don’t see why we couldn’t adapt these fuels in space if we can get around the lack of oxygen problem.

On Panspermia,do you rember this story from India in 2006?

To be honest I’ve never come across this story, but I’ll fo’sure look into it, sounds very interesting.

On the water bears and Lichen, I really have to wonder if they could be evidence that life on earth did come from the stars-What I mean is, how on earth did they acquire the ability to survive in space...Was it something that some tiny part of their DNA had experienced before-on their journey here eons ago?

That’s the million dollar question I guess, as I said my belief is, yes life did come to Earth via other planets, as for how they acquire the ability to survive in space I don’t know, (my guess would be because they live in extreme conditions on Earth they are able to handle other environments) but what I do know is if they are able to live on the Earth in extreme conditions and space then there is a good case for them coming from other places either in our own solar system or further afield, I don’t have proof of this and I’m really trying to keep this fact based but it doesn’t hurt to theorise as your doing!

Just want to say thanks for the YouTube vid and your participation in this thread, makes the time spent posting worth it, cheers!



[edit on 4-2-2010 by Majestic RNA]

[edit on 4-2-2010 by Majestic RNA]



posted on Jun, 11 2010 @ 10:23 AM
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IR Man and Maj RNA -

I am a big panspermia nut (as this is a rather recent theory discovery for me)and thought this article about a Russian mission to Phobos was relevant.

Water bears to Phobos

If these buggers are as resilient as they appear, when this experiment kicks off perhaps we will know the limits of the Tun state (extreme hibernation/ turning 'off' state)...

wow...with the synthetic life breakthrough and genetic manipulation...one day we as humans could learn experience the Zen of the Tun.

Closest thing to time travel...could be handy for manned missions to far away destinations.

IRman - I have mentioned before that the meteorite was confirmed to contain bacteria fossils - wasn't there a link to an article recently here on ATS that stated so? I thought I was going crazy...maybe you saw it, too?



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