Scientists have discovered a handful of bacteria on Earth which is capable of withstanding radiation levels more than a 1,000 times of what humans could. Since such resistance is unnecessary on Earth, they claim that this trait could only have developed on Mars where the radiation levels are much higher. And given the recent discoveries of water in the permafrost on Mars and signs of subsurface water, this is a real possibility.According to one theory, impacts on the surface of the Red Planet could have thrown Martian rocks into space, which wandered the vaccum before tumbling through Earth's atmosphere and crashing down as meteorites. If these Martian meteorites contained any life forms able to survive the journey, they might have been able to gain a foothold on our own planet, scientists speculate.
Nasa says around 34 of the 24,000 meteorites so far found on Earth have been identified as coming from Mars.
Link & Image: BBC
Tags: Bacterial | Radiation | Mars | Meteorites
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