国产精品99一区二区三_免费中文日韩_国产在线精品一区二区_日本成人手机在线

Deep-sea microbes might grow on Saturn's moon Enceladus: study

Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-01 20:32:06|Editor: pengying
Video PlayerClose

VIENNA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A certain Deep-sea microbe might be able to survive in conditions closely matched with one of Saturn's moons, according to research published on Tuesday.

In 2005, NASA's Cassini spacecraft detected geysers erupting from the surface of Enceladus, an icy moon orbiting Saturn. Since then researchers have continued to study the moon, trying to figure out if it can be a potential host for alien life.

Researchers at the University of Vienna created several simulations to model various conditions on the moon, varying the pressure to mimic different depths as well as changing ph levels and temperatures.

They then introduced three species of methanogenic archaeal, a type of microorganism that gobbles up carbon dioxide and hydrogen, producing methane as a waste product.

Some methanogens are extremophiles on earth -- known to live deep in the ocean at hydrothermal vents, surviving on the intense heat and chemicals.

One of those organism, called Methanothermococcus okinawensis, found in hydrothermal vents in the East China Sea could thrive irrespective of conditions the researchers dished out, such as all kinds of pressures and temperatures, whether it was given vitamins or exposed to toxic chemicals.

The results of the experiment suggests that a similar creature could possibly survive in Enceladus' oceans. The study appears in the journal Nature Communications.

Simon Rittmann, a biologist who led the research at the University of Vienna, said, "We've extended the boundaries within which we know methanogens can live."

"They are really robust," said Rittmann, "Life is present under so many different conditions on Earth and researchers who work on the origins of life in different environments keep on extending the boundaries under which it can thrive."

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001370090001
主站蜘蛛池模板: 苏尼特右旗| 阜城县| 沙田区| 迁西县| 长子县| 仪征市| 阳曲县| 祥云县| 洱源县| 抚州市| 巴彦淖尔市| 昔阳县| 正安县| 双城市| 新津县| 松阳县| 固原市| 杨浦区| 筠连县| 黎城县| 阳高县| 梅河口市| 左权县| 溧水县| 固安县| 鄂托克前旗| 揭东县| 曲水县| 突泉县| 元氏县| 呼伦贝尔市| 怀仁县| 尉犁县| 六枝特区| 都江堰市| 阳江市| 天峨县| 九江市| 灵寿县| 漯河市| 玉门市|