"The fact that terrestrial microbes are the Earth's best colonizers means we can never completely discount terrestrial contamination."

Summary

Earth-based bacteria rapidly colonized a Ryugu asteroid sample after it was returned to Earth in 2020 by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft.

Researchers confirmed the microbes were terrestrial, appearing after exposure to Earth’s atmosphere. Within two weeks, microbial populations on the sample grew significantly.

This highlights the resilience of Earth’s microorganisms and raises concerns about contamination of extraterrestrial materials and planetary environments during space missions.

The findings emphasize the need for strict planetary protection protocols to avoid misinterpreting contamination as evidence of alien life. The study was published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science.

  • Orbituary@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2816·
    13 days ago

    That last paragraph about “might be alien” is why I hate some science journalism.

    For you downvoters: they don’t mention the chain of custody. Speculation that these were of alien origin is plainly bad science. Downvote all you like, but the author jumped the shark for sensationalization.

    Edited.

    Case in point: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-science-breakthrough-too-good-to-be-true-it-probably-isnt/

    • TachyonTele@lemm.eeEnglish
      17·
      13 days ago

      Wow, you weren’t kidding. The entire article is about microbes that very quickly attached to the sample, spread, and then died while examined. Then out of no where it just does the history channel “Aliens” meme.

      • Lumidaub@feddit.orgEnglish
        7·
        13 days ago

        I think you may not have scrolled far enough? The only paragraph I see that fits your description is in the middle of the article. It is unfortunately followed by a subscribe prompt which can be misinterpreted as marking the end of the article, so there’s that.

        • TachyonTele@lemm.eeEnglish
          6·
          13 days ago

          Thank you. Looks like you’re half right. It wasn’t the end of the article, but it is part of the article. It continues with:

          Disappointingly, the team has successfully and conclusively ruled this out.

      • Orbituary@lemmy.worldEnglish
        61·
        13 days ago

        That’s exactly my point, yet lemmy dogpiles are ridiculous. As I mentioned in my edit, there’s no chain of custody on this sample. No evidence it was tested before exposure. Just “MIGHT BE ALIEN LIFE!”

      • FilthyShrooms@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        13 days ago

        Idk, literally the whole reason we’re looking at space rocks under a microscope is to see if there’s microbes from other planets. Those would literally be aliens. It’s one of the strongest arguments against sending humans to Mars, because we’re trying find evidence that life existed or not, and bringing bacteria to Mars would fuck it all up