Highest floating microorganisms

  • Thread starter Thread starter Loren Booda
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Floating
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the highest recorded occurrence of life in the atmosphere, highlighting a study that identifies bacteria found in dust samples at an altitude of 41 kilometers. It emphasizes the inherent messiness of biological systems, noting that organisms leave traces of DNA and can exchange genetic material, which contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The conversation speculates on the potential for spores of fungi or bacteria to escape Earth's atmosphere by navigating through the Van Allen belt, particularly over polar regions. However, it raises concerns about the survival of these organisms in space, as exposure to ultraviolet radiation would likely damage their DNA unless they were shielded by an opaque material.
Loren Booda
Messages
3,108
Reaction score
4
What is the record for the uppermost occurence of life in our atmosphere?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
I don't have an exact answer - this paper cites bacteria taken from samples of dust at 41km, for example.

http://www.astrobiology.cf.ac.uk/CurrentScience.pdf#search=%22microorganism%20at%20high%20altitude%22

Biological systems are very sloppy in general. We leave our DNA on things we touch as part of our fingerprint, for example. Bacteria from different species "trade" DNA pieces - why superbugs can pass along their resistance to antibiotics to other species.

Anyway, as a conjecture, if spores of fungi or bacteria could pass through (avoid hotspots) in the Van Allen belt by escaping over one of the Earth's polar regions, it's possible that one of these guys could easily get well away from Earth. Unless they were embedded in something that was totally opaque to UV, they would sooner or later have their DNA destroyed. Probably sooner.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Thread 'Chagas disease now established in US'

Chagas disease, long considered only a threat abroad, is established in California and the Southern U.S. According to articles in the Los Angeles Times, "Chagas disease, long considered only a threat abroad, is established in California and the Southern U.S.", and "Kissing bugs bring deadly disease to California". LA Times requires a subscription. Related article -...
View full post »

Thread 'I need help understanding this quote about recent Natural Selection'

I am reading Nicholas Wade's book A Troublesome Inheritance. Please let's not make this thread a critique about the merits or demerits of the book. This thread is my attempt to understanding the evidence that Natural Selection in the human genome was recent and regional. On Page 103 of A Troublesome Inheritance, Wade writes the following: "The regional nature of selection was first made evident in a genomewide scan undertaken by Jonathan Pritchard, a population geneticist at the...
View full post »

Similar threads

Single biggest obstacle to Earth bacteria thriving on Mars
2
Replies
60
Views
8K
Billion-year-old fossil, a missing link in the evolution of animals?
Replies
1
Views
1K
B Does Pushing a Ship from a Ramp Affect Its Movement?
Replies
15
Views
1K
Upward force of float moving in an arch under water
Replies
14
Views
2K
Floating a cruise ship in a bucket of water
3
Replies
112
Views
9K
Solving the Mystery of a Floating Bottle: Density & Volume
Replies
15
Views
2K
Number of bits required for floating point representation
Replies
4
Views
2K
Engineering Hydrostatic Pressure of Ball Floating in Liquid
Replies
3
Views
2K
Problem with my Venturi operated Drum Vac
Replies
11
Views
3K
Can I Safely Grow Microorganism Cultures for Microscope Observation at Home?
Replies
6
Views
4K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top