Researchers Say “Conan the Bacterium” Could Be Hidden Beneath Mars’ Surface

A new study suggests that a form of bacteria found on Earth, known as Deinococcus radiodurans, could survive for as long as 280 million freakin’ years under harsh radiation like that of Mars. The study builds on previous ‘Conan the Bacterium’ research, which found that this ancient bacterium could survive under harsh ionizing radiation conditions for more than a million years. Researchers are urging future Mars missions to bring back and study samples to test for D. radioduranans, and also to make sure that they do so safely out of fear of alien contamination on Earth. If Martian life ever existed, even if viable lifeforms are not now present on Mars, their macromolecules and viruses would survive much, much longer . . .