Exact type of lifeform that could live on brutal Mars surface revealed – even surviving deadly radiation bombardment
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A TOUGH lifeform could survive the brutal conditions of Mars.
That's the verdict from scientists who spent five hours blasting it with a year's worth of Martian radiation.
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Mars is a brutal wasteland that is bombarded with dangerous radiation
Credit: Nasa
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Humans would need significant protection to survive on the red planet's surface
Credit: Nasa
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Scientists tested whether two forms of lichen – Cetraria aculeata and Diploschistes muscorum – could survive on Mars
Credit: IMA Fungus
Lichens are common on Earth, and is known for being hardy.
And scientists now think that lichens could survive the ionising radiation that life experiences on Mars.
This kind of radiation is extremely damaging, and is a serious threat to human plans for living on the red planet.
But researchers writing in the journal IMA Fungus say they reckon lichens could survive on Mars today, despite the planet's barren surface.
Lichens are a strange "symbiotic" relationship between fungus and algae (or cyanobacteria).
Scientists were able to show that this lichen relationship remained "metabolically active" even with exposed to Mars-like atmospheric conditions.
That included being in darkness, and high X-ray radiation levels.
They tested two species of lichen: Diploschistes muscorum and Cetraria aculeata.
And they found that the former was cabale or surviving those brutal conditions – giving hope for the survival of an alien off-Earth lichen colony.
"Our study is the first to demonstrate that the metabolism of the fungal partner in lichen symbiosis remained active while being in an environment resembling the surface of Mars," said Kaja Skubała, of Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, who led the research.
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"We found that Diploschistes muscorum was able to carry out metabolic processes and activate defence mechanisms effectively.
"These findings expand our understanding of biological processes under simulated Martian conditions.
"And reveal how hydrated organisms respond to ionising radiation – one of the most critical challenges for survival and habitability on Mars.
"Ultimately, this research deepens our knowledge of lichen adaptation and their potential for colonising extraterrestrial environments."
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Sadly, this doesn't mean scientists have found – or will ever find – lichen already living on Mars.
But it means that an alien colony of lichen could potentially survive Mars' harsh conditions.
HUNTING FOR E.T.
It comes in the same month as scientists revealing they're almost certain they've spotted a key sign of alien life on a faraway planet.
Top astronomers at the University of Cambridge told The Sun they are 99.7% confident they've spotted the best-ever signal of biological activity on K2-18b.
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This is what the ocean world of K2-18b might look like first-hand
Credit: Amanda Smith
And they revealed that the best scenario that explains the discovery is that the planet is "teeming with life".
The alien world is 120 lightyears away, and about 2.5x the size of Earth.
Astronomers spotted a molecule called DMS in the planet's atmosphere.
Here on Earth, DMS is produced by the tiny algae that live in the ocean.
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These microscopic phytoplankton can't be seen with the human eye individually, but show up as coloured patches on water.
Similar – but alien – lifeforms might be responsible for the DMS detected with extreme confidence on K2-18b.
Lead scientist Professor Nikku Madhusudhan said 'there is no mechanism in the literature that can explain what we are seeing without life'.
He told The Sun: 'It's a question humanity has been asking for thousands of years. It's a shock to the system. It takes time to recover from the enormity of it.'
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