The search for extraterrestrial life has shifted its focus from familiar organisms to microbes that can thrive in extreme conditions. Scientists are exploring the possibility of discovering life on distant worlds, where microbial life could exist beneath icy crusts or deep within toxic clouds.
Life on Earth is known to survive in environments such as boiling springs, acidic lakes, and deep-sea trenches, suggesting that microorganisms can adapt to a wide range of conditions. Bacteria like H. pylori, which survive in stomach acid, indicate that life could endure the harsh environments found on planets like Venus or Mars.
Europa and Enceladus, moons of Saturn and Jupiter respectively, harbor vast underground oceans, raising questions about the possibility of alien microbes residing beneath their icy crusts. The search for life’s first ancestor, LUCA, is also underway, with scientists hoping to find its relatives on distant exoplanets.
With over 5,500 discovered exoplanets, some potentially habitable, the question remains whether their life forms would be similar to ours or something entirely new. As scientists continue to explore the vastness of space, they may uncover evidence of extraterrestrial microbes in extreme environments, challenging our current understanding of life’s origins and possibilities.
Source: https://www.businesstoday.in/visualstories/news/little-green-men-hiding-in-your-stomach-scientists-may-have-found-the-key-to-alien-life-211107-20-02-2025