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Nearly half a century after Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin marveled at the "magnificent desolation" of our Moon, two astrobiologists now argue that the surface Lunar could have had some liquid. water, a magnetic field and an incredibly transient life.
This composite image of the moon using Clementine's 1994 data is the view we are most likely to see when the moon is full Source: NASA
The Moon is among the most disturbing of our internal solar system, in an article published online in the journal Astrobiology the astrobiologist Dirk Schulze-Makuch of the Washington State University (WSU) and Ian Crawford According to a professor of planetary science and astrobiology at the University of London, this microbial life could have existed as little as 3.5 billion years ago, or during two windows. Habitability separated by 70 million years. The lunar surface states could have endured simple life forms shortly after the Moon formed 4.47 billion years ago and again during a peak of lunar volcanic activity there is about 3.5 billion years, according to the authors.
Schulze-Makuch and Crawford write that this volcanic degassing could have formed pools of liquid water on the lunar surface and an atmosphere dense enough to keep it there for millions of years. And the authors characterize this lunar time as potentially habitable
During this period of late bombardment of the inner solar system, it is quite possible that cyanobacteria or organic matter were dislodged from the earth's surface and spiraled toward the lunar surface. 19659008] "There could actually be germs thriving in the water pools on the moon until the surface has become dry and dead," Schulze-Makuch said in a statement.
Today, the moon is the very definition of inhospitable. As the authors write, the moon has "no significant atmosphere, no liquid water on its surface, no magnetosphere to protect its surface against solar wind and cosmic radiation."
All life would have disappeared long ago. But which regions would be best to look for microfossils?
"In the subsurface, if one finds layers of hydrated paleolégoliths between lava flows," Schulze-Makuch
Some researchers have postulated that life could have evolved on Earth in just 10 million years. Thus, say the authors, there is a chance that life has even evolved in these hypothetical lunar surface basins of liquid water.
Such assertions are not as far-fetched as they seemed ten or so years ago. Indeed, as the authors note in their article, recent studies indicate that the lunar mantle may even be as rich in water as the upper mantle of the Earth.
The primitive moon can also have an important, if not fleeting, protected atmosphere. If so, the authors argue that the chances of survival of microorganisms "inside terrestrial meteorites affecting the moon would be increased by the presence even of a tenuous lunar atmosphere. " That's because such an atmosphere would slow down nearly half a century after the Apollo 11 astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, marveled at the "magnificent desolation From our Moon, two astrobiologists now claim that the surface of the Moon may have briefly had liquid water. magnetic field and transient life incredibly equal.
This composite image of the moon using Clementine's 1994 data is the view we are most likely to see when the moon is full. Source: NASA
Although the Moon is among the most disturbing elements of our internal solar system, in an article published online in the journal Astrobiology Washington State University (WSU)), astrobiologist Dirk Schulze-Makuch and Ian Crawford, professor of planetary science and astrobiology at the University of London, claim that microbial life probably existed there was barely $ 3.5 billion # 39; years. Or for two separate living rooms 70 million years old.
Lunar surface states could have endured simple life forms soon after the Moon formed 4.47 billion years ago and a peak of lunar volcanic activity there are 3 , 5 billion years old.
Schulze-Makuch and Crawford write that this volcanic degassing could have formed pools of liquid water on the lunar surface and an atmosphere dense enough to maintain there for millions of years. # 39; years. And the authors characterize this lunar time as potentially habitable
During this period of late bombardment of the inner solar system, it is quite possible that cyanobacteria or organic matter were dislodged from the earth's surface and spiraled toward the lunar surface. 19659020] "There could actually be microbes thriving in the water pools on the moon until the surface became dry and dead," Schulze-Makuch said in a statement.
Today, the moon is the very definition of inhospitable. As the authors write, the moon has "no significant atmosphere, no liquid water on its surface, no magnetosphere to protect its surface against solar wind and cosmic radiation."
All life would have disappeared long ago. But which regions would be best to look for microfossils?
"In the subsurface, if we find layers of paleo-regolith hydrated between the lava flows," says Schulze-Makuch.
Some researchers postulated that life could have evolved on Earth in just 10 million years. Thus, say the authors, there is a chance that life has even evolved in these hypothetical lunar surface basins of liquid water.
Such assertions are not as far-fetched as they seemed ten or so years ago. Indeed, as the authors note in their article, recent studies indicate that the lunar mantle may even be as rich in water as the upper mantle of the Earth.
The primitive moon can also have an important, if not fleeting, protected atmosphere. If so, the authors argue that the chances of survival of microorganisms "inside terrestrial meteorites affecting the moon would be increased by the presence even of a tenuous lunar atmosphere. " This is because such an atmosphere would slow the lunar impact velocity of meteorites.
