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German scientists have developed a new method for detecting life that could be useful for future space missions. The research is based on observing the movement of microorganisms in response to certain chemicals, a phenomenon known as chemotaxis.
In the experiment, the scientists tested three types of microorganisms: two bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis) and the archaea Haloferax volcanii. All of them are able to survive in extreme conditions, which makes them promising models for the search for life on Mars or other planets. It turned out that all three species respond to the amino acid L-serine, which, according to assumptions, may also exist on Mars.
The researchers used a simplified method that could be easily adapted for spacecraft. They used a slide with two chambers separated by a membrane: microbes on one side and L-serine on the other. If the microbes were alive and motile, they moved through the membrane toward a chemical stimulant.
This approach, according to scientists, could become an affordable way to detect life on other planets. To use it in space, it is necessary to develop compact and autonomous equipment that can withstand the harsh conditions of interplanetary flights. If these challenges are overcome, the technique could significantly simplify and reduce the cost of searching for life in places such as the ocean under the ice of Europa, a satellite of Jupiter.
German scientists have developed a new method for detecting life that could be useful for future space missions. The research is based on observing the movement of microorganisms in response to certain chemicals, a phenomenon known as chemotaxis.
In the experiment, the scientists tested three types of microorganisms: two bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis) and the archaea Haloferax volcanii. All of them are able to survive in extreme conditions, which makes them promising models for the search for life on Mars or other planets. It turned out that all three species respond to the amino acid L-serine, which, according to assumptions, may also exist on Mars.
The researchers used a simplified method that could be easily adapted for spacecraft. They used a slide with two chambers separated by a membrane: microbes on one side and L-serine on the other. If the microbes were alive and motile, they moved through the membrane toward a chemical stimulant.
This approach, according to scientists, could become an affordable way to detect life on other planets. To use it in space, it is necessary to develop compact and autonomous equipment that can withstand the harsh conditions of interplanetary flights. If these challenges are overcome, the technique could significantly simplify and reduce the cost of searching for life in places such as the ocean under the ice of Europa, a satellite of Jupiter.
