During a spacewalk intended to clean the International Space Station, Russian astronauts took samples from the exterior of the station for a routine analysis. The results of the experiment were quite surprising. Astronauts expected to find nothing more than contaminants created by the engines of incoming and outgoing spacecraft, but instead found that living organisms were clinging to outside of the ISS. The astronauts identified the organisms as sea plankton that likely originated from Earth, but the team couldn't find a concrete explanation as to how these organisms made it all the way up to the space station - or how they managed to survive. \nA colorized scanning electron micrograph of a tardigrade. Yes, they look amazing. \n Though NASA has so far been unable to confirm whether or not the Russians truly did discover sea plankton clinging to the exterior of the station, there is some precedent for certain creatures being able to survive the vacuum of space. Tardigrades, water-dwelling microscopic invertebrates, are known to be able to survive a host of harsh environments. They can survive extreme temperatures (slightly above absolute zero to far above boiling), amounts of radiation hundreds of times higher than the lethal dose for a human, pressure around six times more than found in the deepest parts of the ocean, and the vacuum of space. The organisms found on the ISS aren't tardigrades, but the little invertebrates show that some living organisms from Earth can indeed survive the harshness of space. \nThe bigger mystery is not that the plankton survived, but how they made it all the way up there, 205 miles above Earth. The scientists have already dismissed the possibility that the plankton were simply carried there on a spacecraft from Earth, as the plankton aren't from the region where any ISS module or craft would've taken off. The working theory is that atmospheric currents could be scooping up the organisms then carrying them all the way to the space station, though that would mean the currents could travel an astonishing 205 miles (330 km) above the planet. \n The International Space Station \n Living organisms have been found far above Earth before, such as microbes and bacterial life discovered 10 and 24.8 miles, respectively, into the atmosphere - though those numbers are a far cry from 205 miles. \nFor now, we'll have to wait to see if the Russian team confirms the findings with NASA. Then, maybe the two factions can work together in order to figure out how plankton made it all the way up into space, and perhaps even discover exactly why the plankton can survive. The organisms aren't alien life, but they did pose another fascinating mystery. \nhttp://www.extremetech.com/extreme/188479-astronauts-find-living-organisms-clinging-to-the-international-space-station-and-arent-sure-how-they-got-there
Wow tardigrades are pretty damn amazing once you read about them! Fascinating! Cant believe they survive in space!
They were probably attached to some oiece of the space station that was made in Japan or China or wherever all those parts on the space stain were not made in the same location several locations so they probably got on and hitched a ride no biggie I'm sure they have ghnats in their outer space gardens as well. http://forum.grasscity.com/outdoor-grow-journals/1320008-texiego-14-1st-journal.html. Respect.
The bug deal (big deal ) Is that if they can survive outside of a spacecraft then life can survive outside a spacecraft, which means life in space is possible. Its as unique as as plants in the antarctic reviving themselves after 1600 years of being frozen and to our knowledge dead http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26614092 Or the japanese man who "hibernated" for 24 days frozen on a mountain without any frostbite damage to his limbs http://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/21/japan.topstories3 Now you may be asking, wtf does this all have in common? Simply put GOD. If plants can survive for 1600 years frozen, traveling through space on a meteorite its not a far stretch to imagine that plants we see around us are in fact alien, from some other planet. An explosion could have ripped plants off and say they traveled 20k years or 500k years, most of it melted upon impact but a frozen chunk lands somewhere on earth and viola, a new species of plant has just arrived from space. It also means that bugs (tardigrades) could survive the journey within material as well, nearly dried out and then rejuvenated on earth. Its brings about the possibility that life began elsewhere and took Root on Earth. The science and the theory is there, the fact that survival is possible means that more is possible than we ever imagined.
I think its possible that life started on earth and in space. But then again the genetics suggest common ancestry meaning all life on earth should be ffrom the same place Sent from my LG-E739 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
this is not necessarily true. Fish don't breath air either.but they still use oxygen. Maybe these organisms found oxygen in solid form or.found another way to metabolize Sent from my LG-E739 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
You should read about how they survive by crystalizing their bodies. Its pretty fascinating. Those damn things are weird under a microscope too lol
uh oh you been trolled .:?!!! http://forum.grasscity.com/outdoor-grow-journals/1320008-texiego-14-1st-journal.html. Respect.
That thing looks fake as h.e.l.l. http://forum.grasscity.com/outdoor-grow-journals/1320008-texiego-14-1st-journal.html. Respect.
A: that thing is not fake B: that thing is not what they found. Its something the op posted Sent from my LG-E739 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Water bear... water bear... does whatever a water bear does... Can it live almost anywhere? Yes it can cause it's a water bear To the tune of spider pig
scientists already know that they can survive in space.. i read about it a few months ago. but that is really weird.