Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Any Life ‘Discovered’ on Mars Likely to Have ‘Hitchhiked’ From Earth, Scientist Warns

Any Life ‘Discovered’ on Mars Likely to Have ‘Hitchhiked’ From Earth, Scientist Warns

The recent discovery of new types of bacteria found aboard the International Space Station (ISS) draws questions about the expansion and evolution of DNA traveling through space.

Christopher Mason, a geneticist at Cornell University, has warned that any organism discovered in humanity’s colonization of Mars could have already had origins that trace back to certain organisms living here on Earth.

Mason notes in an article for the BBC that since the pursuit of Mars started, many different spacecraft and rovers have been sent into space. Currently, Perseverance, a rover sent to Mars by NASA, is cruising around Mars collecting samples and observing the red planet.

Mason outlines that the presence of new organisms, despite their alien appearance, would have to be studied to check for the presence of DNA sequences found here on Earth. The geneticist maintains that this form of DNA contamination can be found throughout different points in history, such as the American spread westward across the North American continent.

“Humans have a poor track record of this on our own planet. Smallpox, for example, was spread on blankets given to indigenous people of North America in the 19th century. Even in 2020, we have been unable to contain the rapid spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2,” Mason wrote.

The scientific term used for this form of spread is called “forward contamination,” which Mason believes is necessary in the evolution of expansion of DNA. NASA also fears the risks of “backward contamination” when pursuing future return missions to Mars, but believes that the evolution of its species will make for interesting samples.

Mason and his team are particularly interested in the presence of microorganisms that can withstand extreme temperatures, radiation resistance and antibacterial resistance as it can provide more insight into the expansion of DNA.

“Microbes could potentially hitchhike their way to Mars, even after pre-launch cleaning and exposure to radiation in space, and their genomes may change so much that they look truly otherworldly, as we have recently seen with microbes that evolved on the International Space Station,” Mason stated, referring to research where he and a team of scientists studied four different strains of bacteria some with origins mostly related to North American, European and Pacific island types.

"If these types of species were found in the Martian soil, it could potentially spark misguided research into the universal features of life or Martian life," Mason added.

For years, science has experimented with the evolution, expansion and spread of organisms in a research method they call "shotgun metagenomes."

Scientists still wish to discover the presence of actual alien life forms, but Mason says that it would not be a shocker if DNA results from organisms found in space ended up being present on Earth, as well.

Researchers are continuing to expand their database of Earth present DNA samples in order to learn more about the expansion of the solar system. Mason believes that in the next 500 years, forward contamination will be the only way to preserve certain life samples found here on Earth.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×