Alien bacteria have been discovered on Earth, potentially arriving directly from Venus.
Scientists have discovered an extraterrestrial bacterium: it is possible that similar organisms are currently residing on Venus. On Earth, it thrives comfortably and survives in conditions where most others cannot. Whether it originated from Venus or appeared independently on our planet remains unresolved. The article was published in the International Journal of Astrobiology.
DRINKING ACID, EATING RADIATION
Much about the bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is evident from its name. It loves acid (acidophilic) and actively oxidizes iron.
It enjoys acid to such an extent that it can live in a saturated solution. However, its internal environment maintains a normal acidity level. Its membrane is designed to prevent harmful substances from entering. Additionally, by manipulating electric charges within itself, it transforms acidic ions into non-harmful forms.
The bacterium was initially discovered in coal mines, and then found in various locations, including uranium deposits, demonstrating that this tiny organism is not afraid of radiation.
To consider it an alien would be somewhat strange, as this bacterium is widespread across our planet. Moreover, it is not alone in its exotic lifestyle. There exists a whole class of organisms, extremophiles, that thrive in conditions deemed uncomfortable from a human perspective.
STRANGE THINGS ON VENUS
Without asserting its extraterrestrial origins, an international team of researchers took a nuanced approach. The article in the journal "Astrobiology" claims that Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is the Earthly equivalent of microorganisms currently inhabiting Venus. Whether these are our Earthly bacteria that somehow made their way to Venus, or if they originated there, remains a question for scientists to explore later.
But why have we concluded that there is life on Venus at all? After all, it is hard to imagine harsher conditions than those present there. The planet is perpetually shrouded in a thick layer of clouds composed of sulfuric acid. The atmosphere is extremely dense. Temperatures can reach several hundred degrees both day and night. This is what hell looks like, as described by the ancients.
Yet, it is in this hell that the most apparent signs of life (or rather, hints of it) have been found in the entire Solar System.
Back in the 1980s, when Soviet probes landed on Venus and even transmitted images back to Earth, scientists seemed to notice that something was moving along the surface. This entity appeared quite unfriendly, which is understandable given the living conditions.
Then, in recent times, astronomers observed that something in Venus's atmosphere mysteriously absorbs ultraviolet light—not in the same way our ozone does, but more like a living organism. It seems that bacteria may inhabit the clouds of Venus. A few years ago, a high-profile press conference was held regarding this matter. Although there were attempts to refute the discovery, and explanations of the phenomenon purely in chemical terms, nothing better than "signs of life" has emerged so far.
The only obstacle to declaring Venus habitable is that no one has actually seen this bacterium. The absorption of ultraviolet light is merely a line in the spectrum.
HIGH AND SATISFIED
The authors of the study examined our Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and reached a conclusion. If thrown into the clouds of Venus, it would absorb ultraviolet light in the same manner. The similarities are too strong. Therefore, it is likely the same organism.
They reason that at one time, briefly, Venus had hot oceans. Although these evaporated quickly, that time was sufficient for life to emerge.
Just like on primordial Earth, complex chemical and biological processes took place on Venus, gradually making molecules more complex, and eventually forming living cells from these complex molecules. How this occurred is still not fully understood, but this is the prevailing theory in science.
The climate deteriorated, but life did not simply give up its position.
Due to Venus's dense atmosphere, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can be carried by air to heights of 40-50 kilometers, where they can linger for extended periods. They do the same on Earth, but even more efficiently.
The air (which consists of carbon dioxide on Venus) is quite suitable. There is an abundance of solar energy. Wind occasionally lifts dust, which serves as building material for new cells. And, of course, acid is plentiful in the air. So, fly, live, and absorb ultraviolet light.
EARTHLY ALIENS
There is a buzzworthy term— "living fossils." This refers to creatures known only from skeletal remains, thought to be extinct, only to resurface in reality.
Now, it seems, a more scandalous and captivating definition has emerged in science: "Earthly aliens."
Debates about the origins of life can go on indefinitely. It is already clear that Earth and space freely exchange materials, and that Earth is not the only refuge for life; it exists wherever there is even the slightest possibility.
It appears that Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and other extremophiles are a universal form of life for the entire cosmos. When they land on a planet, they colonize it, making it suitable for more delicate organisms. For us, for example. And what about us? We have also evolved, genetically speaking, from such extremophiles. There’s really no other origin.
They have significantly altered Earth. But Venus? Perhaps they did succeed. Maybe there was a civilization there that has since vanished, polluting the planet. Venus bears a striking resemblance to what could result from Earth in the event of a severe global warming scenario.
THE QUESTION AT HAND
Venus: Are there only bacteria?
The mechanism proposed in the new publication suggests that there is likely more than just bacteria, and that Venus may be quite populated. In this regard, it is worth taking a fresh look at the old publications from our "Venus" missions. The crawling creatures that resembled our extinct trilobites were noted by flight director Leonid Ksanthomalliti right away. However, it took many years for him to publish an article about them in the "Astronomical Journal." The article was largely ignored, and those who did notice hinted that the old man didn’t quite understand the distortions that can occur during signal transmission (while everyone else obviously understood better). These were merely distortions, artifacts. And that’s where the matter was settled. Then the Americans came out with their discovery of anomalies in the clouds.
BY THE WAY
Is it worth searching for extraterrestrial life?
An extensive article titled "The Risks of Mirror Life" was published in the journal Science. It discusses life that is structured like ours… but not like ours. Life based on mirror molecules. On Earth, the nucleotides in DNA are twisted to the right, while proteins twist to the left. Laboratories are actively creating "mirror" life (nucleotides to the left, proteins to the right), and in about 10 years, they will succeed, but the risks are enormous, as the article states. A mirror bacterium would not be attacked by the immune system, it wouldn’t be eaten by predators, and it would have no natural enemies. An instant pandemic, from which there is fundamentally no escape according to the laws of nature— and that would be it. Astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who reviewed the article, pointed out that our DNA twist is essentially random, and on another planet, it could be any other configuration. Therefore, encountering extraterrestrial bacteria could lead to exactly that scenario.
It is difficult to say whether such fears are justified. Each day, 60 tons of meteorites and dust fall to Earth. There must be something bacterial among them. Whether it is mirror or not, it immediately integrates into our biosphere. Or it burns up in the atmosphere during its descent, and we are simply fortunate. Draw your own conclusions, though what conclusions can be made: should we be afraid of cosmic dust in addition to our existing fears?