Life in space dust?-edited by Aishee Biswas

According to a recent study, traces of extraterrestrial life may be present in space dust and debris from other planets. The research highlights the need for scientists to examine these particles in their search for signs of life beyond our own planet.

 

The findings were published in The International Journal of Astrobiology by Tomonori Totani, an astronomy professor at the University of Tokyo. In the research article, Totani emphasized the importance of investigating the possibility of life beyond our solar system in order to gain a deeper understanding of the origins and nature of life on Earth.

 

Tomonori Totani has suggested that despite the potential for astronomical observations to reveal signs of life ,  it would be difficult to definitively confirm the presence of extraterrestrial life through remote observations of planets alone. However, he proposes that the analysis of space dust may provide a promising opportunity for scientists to identify unambiguous evidence of life beyond Earth.

 

Is there really any scope of life in space dust? When celestial objects such as asteroids collide with other planets, the impact can eject ground material into space. There is a possibility that this ejected material could contain microorganisms, whether recently deceased or fossilized, which increases the chances of speculating that there could be life found. The behavior of this ejected material in space depends on the size of its components. Larger pieces may fall back to the original planet or orbit a nearby star or planet, while the smallest pieces may not contain any verifiable signs of life.

 

However, Tomonori Totani suggests that a space dust grain around 1 micrometer in size could be an ideal candidate for bringing signs of life to Earth. These small particles can potentially carry a specimen of a single-celled organism and, under favorable circumstances, escape their own solar system and travel to ours. Despite uncertainties, as many as 100,000 extraterrestrial particles capable of carrying alien life may enter Earth's atmosphere annually. However, Tomonori Totani acknowledges that there are many unknown factors involved and this estimate could potentially be either too high or too low.

 

How can the space stations collect space dust to examine it? To collect these extraterrestrial particles from exoplanets, detectors based in space can be utilized. One such detector uses a low-density medium like silica aerogel to capture high-speed particles by slowing their deceleration, thereby reducing the chances of any potential biosignatures being damaged.

 

Alternatively, these space dust particles can also be searched for on Earth. While this may seem like a challenging task, it is not impossible. Particles of around 1 micrometer in size can survive entry into Earth's atmosphere without severe heating, which reduces the risk of damage. Although meteorites are often discovered in Antarctic ice, most extraterrestrial material that enters Earth's atmosphere consists of sub-millimeter particles. Technologies in the future may enable scientists to locate such particles in specific locations on Earth.