Published Date:
13 March 2009
By Kris Gilmartin
A SCOTTISH scientist believes he has found the origins of life on Earth – and suggests alien life could visit us in the same way.
Professor John Parnell, from the University of Aberdeen's school of geosciences, claims he has proof that microbial life can travel vast distances throughout space via meteorites.
His theory stems from researching a football-sized rock that was launched into space on the back of a Russian spacecraft.
The rock, which contained the remains of 400-million-year-old algae, spent 12 days in space before surviving incredible pressures and temperatures on re-entry to Earth's atmosphere.
Prof Parnell has claimed this proves life can travel through the universe in the same way.
He said: "We sent a rock attached to the outside of a spaceship and examined what happened to it when it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere.
"We found that microbial life could survive that pressure."
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Last Updated:
12 March 2009 9:27 PM
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Source:
The Scotsman
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Location:
Edinburgh
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Related Topics:
Space science
