First Alien Contact? Bacteria Found On Hull Of ISS Might Not Be From Earth

I first heard about this story back in May and yesterday it was back in the news. At first, it was reported that Earth-origin bacteria was discovered on special "pads" on the ISS hull, that were thought to be from Madagascar, as well as plankton from the Barents Sea. They got there due to the "ionosphere lift phenomenon."

An RT report mentions that these Earth-origin bacteria entered special pads that were placed on the hull as part of an experiment to see how the organisms survived the harsh conditions of outer space. The tests were carried out as "Biorisk" experiments.

The report mentions that traces of Earth bacteria from Madagascar, as well as plankton from the Barents Sea were found on the pads in May. This was explained by scientists as being caused by the "ionosphere lift phenomenon". This happens when microorganisms are lifted up from the surface into high altitudes, sometimes even to the upper atmosphere, according to RT news.

www.ibtimes.co.uk...

Just what is a "Biorisk" experiment? Description below:

To get better appreciation of the margins of phenotypic adaptation and genotypic changes in bacteria-fungi associations within the typical microbiota residing on structural materials of space-flown equipment, developed were a program and hardware for a series of experiments under the general name BIORISK. Protocol of each experimental cycle is based on the well-proven method of exposure of "passive" samples of materials (Biorisk-KM), microorganisms-materials systems inside the ISS service module (Biorisk-MSV), and microorganisms-materials systems on the outside of the ISS SM (Biorisk-MSN). Each six months the samples are returned to the laboratory in conjunction with crew rotation. Already the first in-hand data from the experiment point to the dramatic effect of space flight on growth, reproduction, and biological properties of test microbes and fungi. Thus, the activity of enzymes that characterize the pathogenic potential (RNA-ase and DNA-ase), and resistance of microorganisms to aseptic agents were found increased.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

It seems that the Russian cosmonauts are now stating that bacteria, that had not been there during the launch of ISS, have been found on the hull. They say that the bacteria is considered "safe" for earthly study.

"Bacteria that had not been there during the launch of the ISS module were found on the swabs. So they have flown from somewhere in space and settled on the outside hull," Shkaplerov, an expedition flight engineer who is set to take his third trip to the space station in December as part of the Expedition 54, told Russian news agency Tass.

The cosmonaut added that during spacewalks, cotton swabs are used to take samples near the point where fuel wastes are discharged from the engine and places where the station surface is obscure. The samples are then brought to Earth for further study. It was during the routine swab collection, they came across the never-before-seen bacteria samples, he noted.

"It has turned out that somehow these swabs have revealed bacteria that were absent during the launch of the ISS module," he said. He added that the samples seemed to be safe as of now and were being studied.

www.ibtimes.co.uk...

So, could this discovery prove that life on Earth originated from the cosmos?

There is a prevailing theory that life on Earth was caused by microorganisms travelling through space in streams of interplanetary dust.

www.ibtimes.co.uk...

It might prove the theory of "Panspermia."

Panspermia is the theory that the seeds of life somehow came to our planet from another world. The idea is controversial at best—most biologists would tell you that it just pushes the problem back a step, because we still wouldn’t know what sparked life in the first place. And so far, there’s little reason to think life on other planets should be anything like what we see on Earth.

Now Henry Lin and Abraham Loeb of Harvard University say that if we do see evidence of alien life, the distribution of inhabited planets would be a “smoking gun” for panspermia. According to their model, if life arises on a few planets and spreads through space to others, inhabited planets ought to form a clumpy pattern around the galaxy, with voids between roughly spherical regions. This bubble pattern appears no matter how the distribution happens, whether its aliens traveling by spaceship or comets carrying life’s building blocks.

www.smithsonianmag.com...

a reply to: shawmanfromny

So, could this discovery prove that life on Earth originated from the cosmos?

Probably not. The ISS "swab collections" are done by suited astronauts during EVAs, their suits are not sterile outside, coming into direct contact with the hull all the time.

Due to the natural attraction afforded by surface tension, I would expect there to be bacteria all over it. As well as other "Materials" dues to 'Ionospheric Rise' or whatever they call it.

Like to see that readout: nuclides, pollutants, etc.

Will wait for the confirmation the bugs are 'other worldy' though, too.

a reply to: shawmanfromny

I’m not sure if your familiar with it, but there is a great theory about the 1918 flu being from space..

Appearently, it hit Eskimo populations with no contact with the outside world , or something. Leading to the theory maybe it came from space.

a reply to: intrptr

I would like to think that the "scientists" who carry out these "Biorisk" experiments would've already ruled that out. But what do I know, I'm not a flight engineer or scientist who works in a space station and does this for a living....you?

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Cool...I'll have to look that up. Thanks for your post!

a reply to: shawmanfromny

I read the article in the Daily Mail. It seemed to originally say that the material was not of this earth. Then later, as the Daily Mail frequently does, it gives a long article that trails away from the substance being unearthly and discusses numerous other aspects of how microbes change when subjected to raw space.

Now, with UFOs frequently flitting around in regions above earth, they could be dumping their own materials into local space and, therefore, the materials have not simply been ever-present in all space or have floated in from elsewhere.

I claim nothing here only that the possibilities are not as limited as some would have them.

How do bacteria live with no oxygen? Maybe a small leak in the ISS hull?

If it turns out that LIFE does not need oxygen, a whole new world of possibilities emerges. Such as space-faring entities. We discussed all this on ATS earlier in the year, when the bacteria were first found.

originally posted by: carewemust
How do bacteria live with no oxygen? Maybe a small leak in the ISS hull?

If it turns out that LIFE does not need oxygen, a whole new world of possibilities emerges. Such as space-faring entities. We discussed all this on ATS earlier in the year, when the bacteria were first found.

en.m.wikipedia.org...

originally posted by: shawmanfromny
a reply to: intrptr

I would like to think that the "scientists" who carry out these "Biorisk" experiments would've already ruled that out. But what do I know, I'm not a flight engineer or scientist who works in a space station and does this for a living....you?

You don't need to qualify as an astronaut or bio engineer to know something about germs... lol

I read an article a while back that stated there were microbes living in space where some satellites are. It said they were of a different kind than here on earth. But they are still earth based microbes, they just live way up in the atmosphere. There are also microbes in rocks ten miles beneath the surface, alive.

We learn something new all the time. Those microbes are probably not alien to this planet, but they just don't live down here with us, they live up there.

these stupid websites that block readers because we use adblock. its simple to stop but annoying.
i had to hit x as the website was loading to stop it loading the entire page.

its a science website! why do they block adblock?

originally posted by: carewemust
How do bacteria live with no oxygen? Maybe a small leak in the ISS hull?

If it turns out that LIFE does not need oxygen, a whole new world of possibilities emerges. Such as space-faring entities. We discussed all this on ATS earlier in the year, when the bacteria were first found.

Anaerobes.

The bacteria that causes Botulism, a very nasty food poisoning, is an anaerobe. When you're told to avoid any canned goods that have bulging sides or tops/bottoms, this is why. Botulinum bacteria can thrive inside a sealed can.

originally posted by: carewemust
How do bacteria live with no oxygen? Maybe a small leak in the ISS hull?

If it turns out that LIFE does not need oxygen, a whole new world of possibilities emerges. Such as space-faring entities. We discussed all this on ATS earlier in the year, when the bacteria were first found.

It's been known for a long time that oxygen is not a necessity for there to be life. The first life on Earth lived without oxygen, and that's because the atmosphere of the early Earth was mostly devoid of free oxygen.

In fact, oxygen was toxic to most of the life on that existed Earth for the first 2 Billion years, with free oxygen (and the more complex types of life that use free oxygen) only appearing in abundance in Earth's atmosphere around 2 to 2.5 Billion years ago.


Wikipedia -- Oxygenation of Earth's Atmosphere

NY Times article about Earth's oxygen

After watching some BBC documentaries and others about Space X and other companies trying to conquer and survive space travel for long periods. And, eventually colonisation of planets. Very impressive technology. But, was left thinking human life would be unsustainable for any long term travel or colonisation. Simply by starvation.

I was impressed by their LED lighted hydro grow pod.

Ok. Hydroponic growing is more efficient in artificial conditions. But. What happens when the nutrients that are added to the water to make the feed runs out? Failed crops. They would only be able to carry x amount of anything. Therefore, would eventually run out of nutrient supplies.

The only other answer i could think of were if you could then change to organic growing by using waste plant matter from previous grows to make soil. Problem being. It takes bacteria, beneficial fungi and microbes. As well as worms and insects etc. A whole ecosystem is needed to break down matter to the point where the roots can take up the food. Also not very practical. Although i don't know if these questions have been considered or even solved yet.

Hopefully, this news will play a part into how to survive long periods of time in space.

Interesting to note that tons of material exits Earth every year. If microbes and other 'particulates' can reach the ionosphere, then maybe they would make up some of this ejected material. All speculation, but I imagine these gases and particulates might 'stick around' in low Earth orbit, either 'recycling' back to Earth or being carried away by space 'winds'.

I tried finding the cool sciency link where I read about the effects of Solar interactions with our magnetosphere 'stripping' material from the poles, particulalry... But I just woke up and am lazy. So here's a wiki link haha
Atmospheric escape

Fascinating issue. Some additional factors to consider:

Getting microbes up to the top of the atmosphere is not a problem but getting higher requires energy that is more than sufficient to vaporize them into molecular components.

And the other problem is to survive impact with the station moving at 8 km/sec, again enough to vaporize and disrupt any organic molecule.

Sources of contamination include the water emitted routinely by Russian spacesuits as part of the cooling system, using a 'flash evaporator' in the backpack.

Still a tantalizing puzzle.

a reply to: blackcrowe

Living Organic Soil requires minimal effort and huge gains.

I would suggest looking it up, get the bugs started and just add water, maybe some black strap molasses here and there.

In conjunction with advance lighting and airflow designs in compartmentalized structures.

a reply to: Arnie123

Thanks Arnie123.

Although i agree that organic is great here on earth. On a space mission. Weight is a priority. Water weight is accounted for. But creating organic grow conditions would create unwanted weight. Therefore. Hydro would be the wisest choice. Until the nutes run out.

Maybe they've already addressed this issue.

I have looked at organic soil. And maybe someone on the missions will be responsible for the job of making it.

I was just left pondering after watching the doc's.

originally posted by: blackcrowe


Ok. Hydroponic growing is more efficient in artificial conditions. But. What happens when the nutrients that are added to the water to make the feed runs out?

You use the previously digested plant materials.

In other words, astronaut poop.

Harte

a reply to: Harte

Thanks Harte.

I don't think poop is the answer. Maybe use some. But there's a lot more to plant nutrients. And, without taking a complete eco system to provide all the relevant ingredients needed.And, at the right time in the plants life. Crops will be small yielding or, even fail.

Even if what you suggest is what the agencies say they're doing. They might be wrong.

Or, i'm wrong. Again.

One thing is for sure. I won't be volunteering for any missions.