Tiny Worms Survive Shuttle Crash

John H. Doe writes "According to CNet, tiny worms kept in special aluminum canisters aboard the space shuttle Columbia (which broke apart in the atmosphere back in Feb. 1, 2003) survived their fall to earth. The small (about 1mm long) soil roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans was found alive in four or five of the recovered canisters, after an impact 2,295 times the force of Earth's gravity."

Whuh?

[wwest4]

It shows directly that even complex small creatures originating on one planet could survive landing on another without the protection of a spacecraft."


Do I even need to say why that is specious? Um, OK: They were in canisters and they rode in a shuttle for part of re-entry.

I'm not saying panspermia's infeasible, but this event is not particularly compelling, given the circumstances.

So?

[gellenburg]

It's not like worms have any bones to break, or complex brain structures that would suffer life-threatening subdural hematomas upon impact.

Besides, the worms were packed in loose soil offering cushioning upon impact, and have very low oxygen requirements compared to humans.