Lab tests show bacteria can survive asteroid ejections and interplanetary travel
Mar 4th 2026
A Johns Hopkins study published in PNAS Nexus found the hardy bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans can survive pressures like those produced by asteroid impacts, making cross-planet transfer of life more plausible and prompting fresh planetary protection concerns.
- Johns Hopkins researchers used a gas gun to fire projectiles at metal plates with Deinococcus radiodurans sandwiched between them to simulate asteroid ejection pressures.
- The experiments produced pressures from about 1 to 3 gigapascals, with microbes surviving nearly every test at 1.4 GPa and about 60% survival at 2.4 GPa.
- Cells showed little damage after lower pressure hits and some membrane rupture and internal damage after higher pressure hits.
- The results strengthen the lithopanspermia idea that microbes could be transported between planets, including from Mars to Earth.
- Findings raise planetary protection questions and could prompt reevaluation of mission rules for bodies like Phobos that may receive Martian ejecta.