Scientists Find 26 Whole New Bacteria Species In NASA's Supposedly Sterile Cleanrooms Which Could Invade Mars
Jalopnik••science
Key Points:
- Scientists discovered 26 new species of bacteria in the cleanroom where the Phoenix Mars rover was built, all tolerant to extreme conditions and potentially capable of surviving the journey to Mars.
- These microorganisms endured disinfectants, UV light, air filtration, and environmental controls, raising the possibility they may have contaminated the Mars rover and reached the Martian surface.
- Researchers plan to test these bacteria in planetary simulation chambers to assess their survival in space and on Mars, considering factors like vacuum, cold, radiation, and lack of nutrients.
- The presence of Earth-origin bacteria on Mars poses a risk of false positives in the search for extraterrestrial life and threatens to contaminate the pristine Martian environment, complicating scientific investigations.
- Current steril
