Bacteria live millions of years on Mars

The radiation-resistant bacteria, nicknamed "Conan the Bacterium", can last more than a million years in the harsh conditions of Mars.

Deinococcus radiodurans. (Photo: Scifun)

Some scientists at the University of London freeze Deinococcus radiodurans to temperatures of -79 ° C, the average temperature in the region between the North and South Pole of Mars. They then irradiated gamma rays to simulate the conditions that these bacteria must be exposed to when they are 30 cm below the Martian soil for long periods of time.

Scientists have found that it takes 1.2 million years to survive in this condition, the population of the new bacterial species has decreased by one in one million of the original amount. In addition, three new strains of bacteria originating from Antarctica may also exist for 117,000 years on Mars before their population is reduced due to certain factors.

Previous studies have shown that, when in cold conditions like Mars, bacteria can tolerate four times more radiation than normal room temperature because frozen cells are less likely to be released. more radiation.