Scientists Discover DNA Can Survive Earth's Reentry Trip

According to David Szondy of the Gizmag portal, scientists at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, have found that DNA is not only capable of surviving space travel but can continue to function after the dramatic reentry of the earth's atmosphere.

The discovery came during tests conducted on a rocket that made suborbital flights and "carried" plasmids - DNA molecules capable of reproducing independently of chromosomal DNA - in their structure, including outer parts and grooves of the heads of several screws.

Active and operant

According to Szondy, the scientists applied samples of artificial genetic material containing a fluorescent substance and antibiotic-resistant DNA fragments before the rocket was launched. The researchers expected to find traces of organic matter upon the return of the ship, but did not imagine that, after facing the harsh conditions of space and temperatures close to a thousand degrees Celsius upon reentry, DNA would survive.

So it was a huge surprise to find intact and functional material - still capable of transferring information - after returning to Earth. As they explained, the implications of the discovery are immense, as they cast doubt on the efficiency of the sterilization procedures currently employed in space probes that are sent to space or other planets.

The tests suggest that there is a possibility that the process may not be sufficient to prevent contamination of the planets and stars to which we send probes - and thus it may happen that life forms found in space have left Earth. In this sense, the discovery also raises questions about the origins of life on our planet, indicating that microorganisms could have come so far as a ride on meteors.