Category: Uncategorized

THEORETICAL SUPPORT. “Garrod & Herbst conducted charged particle-induced photodissociation calculations to model chemical changes from interstellar radiation field and Galactic cosmic rays and reported the production of complex chemicals such as formic acid, methyl formate and dimethyl ether.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

THE POSSIBILITIES. “There is a possibility of life on icy objects in the interplanetary medium such as comets, and other bodies in the interstellar environment. This energy source could support life locked inside icy objects and facilitate efficient transportation conforming to the panspermia hypothesis. Because rogue or independent planets also receive a steady flux of this radiation, there is a possibility of a thriving subsurface ecosystem on such planets. Ground-based laboratory tests are suggested that can be conducted to validate the hypotheses presented here.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

COMBINATION METABOLISM. “Radiolysis-powered life can either thrive independently, or can consume a combination of sources such as heat from chemical and geological processes. Galactic cosmic rays-induced radiolysis can produce a number of ion species leading to the production of biologically useful products such as molecular hydrogen.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

NO ATMOSPHERIC SHIELD. “The Galactic cosmic ray-induced radiolysis mechanisms proposed in the paper open up new possibilities of life in subsurface environments on a number of planetary bodies such as Mars, Moon, Europa, Enceladus, Pluto and especially ones with negligible atmospheres.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

COSMIC ENERGY SOURCE. “Galactic cosmic rays are a steady source of ionizing radiation throughout the Galaxy and beyond. Their secondary component can deposit energy underground; muons especially can penetrate several kilometres underground. It has been shown that Galactic cosmic rays-induced radiolysis is a steady source of energy for subsurface environments and could potentially be a viable source of energy supporting such an ecosystem. Galactic cosmic rays-induced particles can directly interact with the medium with essential nutrients and synthesize basic chemicals vital for life to develop, analogous to the experiments with high-energy protons and ice mixtures.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

DNA REPAIR. “Ionizing radiation causes damage, and just as in the case of Ca. D. audaxviator, a part of the energy deposited in subsurface environments can be used for repairing damage and the rest for chemical reactions and potential biological use.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

COSMIC RAY ENERGY SOURCE. “The discovery of Ca. D. audaxviator thriving 2.8 km below the Earth's surface powered by radiolysis opens up new possibilities of biological interaction with (ionizing) particle radiation. Galactic cosmic rays produce secondary particles that deposit energy in the subsurface environment. Conceivable mechanisms have been proposed through which the energy of Galactic cosmic rays-induced particles can be used to produce biologically useful products such as organics and utilize energy for radiolysis to power a potential subsurface ecosystem.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

MARTIAN SURFACE. “Radiolysis-powered ecosystems can use these chemicals for metabolic processes. The possibility of methane, N2 and traces of O2 being by-products of such an ecosystem cannot be ruled out and could possibly explain the presence of methane that cannot yet be explained by standard physics and chemistry models.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

MARTIAN WATER CHEMISTRY. “There is growing evidence of pockets of near-surface water on Mars. The presence of indigenous nitrogen in sedimentary and aeolian deposits using the SAM instrument on-board the Curiosity rover was reported recently. Observations of hydrated salts, magnesium perchlorate, magnesium chlorate and sodium perchlorate on the Martian surface, were also recently announced.” https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2016.0459 View in LinkedIn

MAY 5, 2015 FLARE. "The sun unleashed its most intense flare of the year Tuesday (May 5), a monstrous blast that caused temporary radio blackouts throughout the Pacific region." Brilliant video. https://lnkd.in/eEU_WVv View in LinkedIn