Added: Nov 20, 2008
Author: h4ck3rm1k3
Duration: 1:8
The James M. DuPont Meteorite Collection - and mats in carbonaceous meteorites implies that comets and meteorites may have played a direct role in the delivery of intact microorganisms and that the biosphere may extend far into the cosmos. Recent space observations have found the nuclei of comets to have very low albedos (˜0.03) and these jet-black surfaces can become very hot (T ˜ 400 K) near perihelion. This chapter reviews recent observational data on comets and suggests that liquid water pools could exist in cavities and fissures between the internal ices and rocks and the exterior carbonaceous crust. The presence of light and liquid water near the surface of the nucleus enhances the possibility that comets could harbor prokaryotic extremophiles (e.g., cyanobacteria, sulfur bacteria and archaea) capable of growth over a wide range of temperatures.
Channel: Education
Tags: carbonaceous cyanobacteria fossils life meteorite
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