Bacteria Survive Asteroid Impacts, Spreading Life?

Scientists have discovered that certain resilient bacteria can survive the extreme conditions of an asteroid impact, suggesting that life might travel between planets on ejected rocks. This finding lends significant support to the lithopanspermia hypothesis, which posits that microbial life can be transported across space.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University focused on Deinococcus radiodurans, a bacterium known for its ability to withstand harsh environments similar to those on Mars. When subjected to pressures up to 2.4 gigapascals—far exceeding those at the deepest ocean trench—a substantial portion of these bacteria survived, demonstrating remarkable hardiness.