Anaerobic Microbes May Point to Life on Mars

Komarosu writes: "The BBC has posted a bit of news about a colony of microbes that have survived 200 meters below the earth's surface in a hot spring. The harsh conditions that are found here could prove a comparison to whats found on Mars. They hope to use these finding to target the search for microbes on Mars."

Our definition of life is flawed.

[AnalogBoy]

We're too biased IMO. Who knows? Life may be able to evolve in billions of different ways, using processes we haven't yet discovered. Im not a evolutionary scientist, of course. But 80 years or so ago the thought of life on Europa or Titan would have seemed far-fetched. Now its a very real possibility. 80 years ago microbes could never live on the moon. The surveyor probe lens recovered by Apollo 12 at the Ocean of Storms proved that it was possible.

Re:Our definition of life is flawed.

[Fenris2001]

Microbes cannot live on the Moon, but they can survive there. The microbes found on the Surveyor had been exposed to vacuum, radiation, and cold. They were in a dormant state, much like the bacteria found in a huge salt deposits deep underground (can't find this link at the moment.) They did not come from the Moon, they were a result of a flawed decontamination procedure.

Recent evidence is reshaping how we think about life - from the ice caps to deep underground, life is found. But all of these life forms obey the laws of molecular biology and thermodynamics as we understand them. There may be a billion different way to reproduce, but DNA and RNA seem to be favored.

Of course, as new evidence is gathered, new theories are proposed. It may be that the most prevalent form of life is a plasma cloud, or clays that form repeating layers in cold, still waters.

Re:Our definition of life is flawed.

[adlam.bor]

the only way life will evolve is if you and your closest ass buddies stop ass raping small furry animals. how are we supposed to progress as a civilization if you continue to masterbate small dogs to the point of ejaculating on your gay lovers ass, only to lick it off while he farts?

Hot springs on Mars?

[imrdkl]

This seems kind of far-fetched. I guess an active volcano very close to the polar cap might give the right ingredients, but generally speaking I think Mars is too cold for hot-springs, or even mudbaths, for that matter. Perhaps a good aromatherapy salon could be found, if you look hard enough, but forget foot massage or pedicures.

Think underground

[Evil Pete]

Underground its likely to be quite hot enough and wet enough in some places on Mars. The important thing about these bacteria is that they metabolise hydrogen and CO2 and nothing else. They are independent of any other living creatures or sunlight, they could be dropped into a similar habitat on Mars and survive quite well.

Re:Think underground

[JabberWokky]

Underground its likely to be quite hot enough

I thought Mars had very little thermal difference between the core and crust - or at least no molten core. Any Areologists out there that can say exactly what the thermal gradient is as you dig down into Mars?

--
Evan

HOT spring??

[Transcendent]

"...in a hot spring. The harsh conditions that are found here could prove a comparison to whats found on Mars."

Umm... I thought that mars was quite cold... unlike a hot spring...

Subterranean Lifeforms - further reading

[mjul]

Thomas Gold wrote a book about subterranean life a few years ago, "The Deep Hot Biosphere" (Springer Verlag, 1999). If this article caught your attention check out the book. It discusses the formation of hydrocarbons and the possibility of subterranean life on Earth and other places in the universe including evidence from some deep drillings on Earth. It is an interesting read though not a must. Also, beware that his hypotheses are quite controversial and not universally accepted in the scientific community.