Studies in relation to the possible extraterrestrial origin of bacteria.

Studies were made in relation to the theory of panspermia, in particular, the version known as
cometary panspermia, which suggests that life on Earth a) originated from space (from comets) and
b)continues to arrive from this source (Le. neopanspermia). The following conclusions were arrived
at;
I) Evidence is provided to support/recent findings showing that viable bacteria are present ill the
stratosphere at a height of 41 km (circa 25 miles). These bacteria appear in clumps of a size in excess
of 10-20 microns. It is argued that it is unlikely that bacterial clumps of this size could be elevated
from Earth to 41 km and that as result these clumps must be incoming from space. It is suggested that
these may be unculturable and may make up the majority of unculturable bacteria that are found in the
environments of Earth (this suggestion is however, remains conjectural).
2) Studies were made on the Red Rain that recently fell on Kerala in India. It was confirmed that Red
Rain is made up of microbial cells of morphology similar to that of algae and fungal spores. Another
type of Red Rain, sampled in England, is algal in appearance, although morphologically it is
completely different from the Red Rain of Kerala.
3) The chemical composition of a comet was simulated. The simulated comct was shown to be
capa~le of supporting the growth or bacteria directly sampled from the atmosphere on Earth. Bacteria
grew in the presence and absence of the PAH, naphthalene. Thc results suggest that Earth bacteria
could grow in the nutrient conditions provided by a comet.
4) Sulphuric acid at a concentration in excess of those likely to be found in the stratosphere did not
completely sterilise a culture of Bacillus subtilis, showing that this acid, although present ill the
stratosphere, is unlikely to completely inhibit bacterial survival in this environment.
5) A study was made of the microbiology of rocks (i.e. amber, coals, limestone and clay). A large
numbcr of bacteria were isolated from clay (mainly species of Bacillus) While two bacteria were
isolated from amber and one from a coal sample, no organisms were isolated from limestonc.
Obviously, the theory of geopanspermia, the view that bacteria arc transmitted through space in rocks,
requires such a demonstration that rocks on Earth do in fc1ct harbour bacteria.