Each piece or sequence "read" can then be mapped back to the known genomes of species that are already present in sequence databases. Since we can now sequence all the DNA that is present in the clean rooms, and not just the ones that could be cultured, we get a more comprehensive look at what kind of microbes can be found in the clean room, and if they could even survive the vacuum of space.
In JPL's clean rooms, we found evidence of microbes that have the potential to be problematic during space missions. These organisms have increased numbers of genes for DNA repair, giving them greater resistance against radiation, they can form biofilms on surfaces and equipment, can survive desiccation and thrive in cold environments. It turns out that clean rooms might serve as an evolutionary selection process for the hardiest bugs that then may have a greater chance of surviving a journey to Mars.
These findings have implications for a form of planetary protection called "forward contamination". This is where we might bring something accidentally or on purpose to another planet. It is important to ensure the safety and preservation of any life that might exist elsewhere in the Universe, since new organisms can wreak havoc when they arrive at a new ecosystem. Humans have a poor track record of this on our own planet.
Smallpox, for example, was spread on blankets given to Indigenous people of North America in the 19th Century. Forward contamination is undesirable from a scientific perspective too. Scientists need to be sure that any discovery of life on another planet is genuinely native there, rather than a false identification of an alien-looking, but Earth-grown, contamination.
Microbes could potentially hitchhike their way to Mars, even after pre-launch cleaning and exposure to radiation in space.
Their genomes may change so much that they look truly otherworldly. We have recently seen that novel microbes have evolved on the International Space Station.
Although Nasa's engineers work hard to avoid introducing such species into the Martian soil or air, any signs of life on Mars would have to be carefully examined to ensure it did not originate here on Earth. Not doing so could potentially spark misguided research into the universal features of life or Martian life. Microbes carried into space can also be of more immediate concern to astronauts — posing a risk to their health and perhaps even causing life-support equipment to malfunction if they become gummed up with colonies of microorganisms.
But planetary protection is bidirectional. The other component of planetary protection is avoiding "backward contamination", where something brought back to Earth presents a potential risk to life on our own planet, including to humans.
This is the theme of many science-fiction movies, where some fictional microbe threatens all life on Earth. But when a Nasa and the European Space Agency Esa mission is launched towards Mars in , it could become a very real consideration — if all goes according to current plans, the Mars Sample Return Mission will bring back the first Martian samples to Earth in Past studies have indicated that Mars samples are very unlikely to contain active, hazardous biology — and Perseverance is looking for any signs that might have been left by ancient microbial life on the planet.
But Nasa and Esa say they are taking additional precautions to ensure all samples returned from Mars will be safely contained in a multi-layered isolation system. There is a chance, however, that if we do detect signs of life on Mars, it could have come from Earth in the first place.
Ever since the first two Soviet probes landed on the Martian surface in , followed by the US Viking 1 lander in , there likely have been some fragments of microbial, and maybe human DNA, on the Red Planet. Given the global dust storms and trace amounts of DNA that might have gone with these spacecraft, we have to be sure we don't fool ourselves that the life we find isn't originally from Earth. The city is a leafy enclave built on floating concrete platforms, each covering almost five acres and moored to the seafloor in shallow waters.
The city can organically transform and adapt over time, evolving from a neighborhood of residents to a city of 10, The competition required the teams to design habitats that could withstand the intense radiation, extreme temperature shifts and thin atmosphere on Mars. And the habitats had to be designed so that they could be built via 3D printing.
A 3D printer could be sent to Mars to build a habitat before astronauts even touch down, meaning astronauts would have a place to live as soon as they arrived planet-side.
Deepspot, a nearly feet deep pool, will be used to train divers of all abilities and includes an underwater tunnel for spectators.
Billed as "the highest outdoor deck in the entire Western Hemisphere," this balcony coming soon to the Hudson Yards in New York City includes a glass floor that lets you look straight down 1, feet at the neighborhood below. You can also lean out over the city thanks to a nine-foot wall of boldly-angled glass.
Discouraged that modern societies were increasingly disconnected from the sources of their food, Precht, the designers of "The Farmhouse" encourage sky-high agriculture. The angled walls of the proposed building allow space for gardens that can by used by residents to grow their own food. For their smart city development in Toronto, the Alphabet company Sidewalk Labs is incorporating protective elements that will shelter people from the wind and rain, allowing them to spend more time outside.
Lilium's designs for small, electric jets that can take off and land vertically would allow for air taxis in densely populated urban areas. The Lilium jet is built on the principle of "ultra-redundancy," and each aircraft has 36 independent engines. Mars Resources. NASA scientists are calling for a framework that provides context for findings related to the search for life. Catch Mars mania as an exhibit visits more than a dozen towns across the U. Two microphones aboard the six-wheeled spacecraft add a new dimension to the way scientists and engineers explore the Red Planet.
JPL's lucky peanuts are an unofficial tradition at big mission events. Full Moon Guide: October - November A new paper details how the hydrological cycle of the now-dry lake at Jezero Crater is more complicated than originally thought.
The spacecraft will continue collecting data about Mars, but engineers will stop sending commands until mid-October. The dusty rocks of Jezero Crater are beginning to tell their story — thanks to the seven powerful science cameras aboard Perseverance. This year, the minimum extent of Arctic sea ice dropped to 1. Researchers will use Webb to observe 17 actively forming planetary systems. The lander cleared enough dust from one solar panel to keep its seismometer on through the summer, allowing scientists to study three big quakes.
Two interactive web experiences let you explore the Martian surface, as seen by cameras aboard the rover and orbiters flying overhead. Scientists found evidence that an area on Mars called Arabia Terra had thousands of "super eruptions" over a million-year period. Full Moon Guide: September - October What's the next big thing? What might space missions in and beyond set out to discover? Perseverance successfully collected its first pair of rock samples, and scientists already are gaining new insights into the region.
The rock core is now enclosed in an airtight titanium sample tube, and will be available for retrieval in the future. Data received late Sept.
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