Unusual hybrid lifeforms from Earth show potential for survival on Mars

Unusual hybrid lifeforms from Earth show potential for survival on Mars, according to a recent study.

Researchers exposed lichens to a year's worth of Martian radiation in just five hours, and they managed to endure, suggesting that these extremophiles might thrive on the Red Planet.

A recent study indicates that lichens can endure the severe ionizing radiation present on the surface of Mars. Researchers subjected these Earth-based organisms to a year's worth of Martian radiation in just five hours in a lab experiment, and remarkably, they survived. Mars poses significant challenges for life: with its harsh desert-like environment, thin atmosphere, frigid temperatures, and absence of surface water, survival is difficult. The principal obstacle is the weak magnetic field, which fails to shield organisms from constant ionizing radiation from cosmic rays and solar flares, risks that can harm living cells and cause DNA mutations. Among the few contenders for surviving these harsh conditions are lichens, which are symbiotic partnerships between fungi and photosynthetic bacteria or algae.

Though not classified as true organisms, these hybrid lifeforms are recognized as different species on the tree of life. They are often extremophiles, capable of enduring extreme temperatures and prolonged droughts. Some have even survived direct exposure to the vacuum of space. The study, published on March 31 in the journal *IMA Fungus*, focused on two lichen species: *Diploschistes muscorum* and *Cetraria aculeata*. The researchers examined how these lichens reacted to ionizing radiation under conditions resembling those found on Mars. The organisms were housed in a specialized vacuum chamber at the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, which replicated Martian atmospheric pressure, temperature, and composition. After being bombarded with radiation equivalent to a year on Mars in just five hours, both lichen species maintained metabolic activity throughout the experiment.

Cetraria aculeata (left) and Diploschistes muscorum (right) both survived the trials, with *D. muscorum* showing greater suitability for Martian conditions.

Kaja Skubała, a researcher at the Institute of Botany at Jagellonian University in Krakow, Poland, stated, "These findings enhance our understanding of biological processes under simulated Martian conditions and illustrate how hydrated organisms react to ionizing radiation. Ultimately, this research enriches our knowledge of lichen adaptation and their potential to colonize extraterrestrial environments.
Live Science
Edited @bosman