Laboratory studies on the viability of life in H2-dominated exoplanet atmospheres
Name
2005.01668.pdf
Description
Accepted version
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1.61 MB
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Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Seager, Sara
Huang, Jin
Petkowski, Janusz Jurand
Pajusalu, Mihkel
Date Issued
2020
Journal
Nature Astronomy
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Citation
Seager, S, Huang, J, Petkowski, Janusz Jurand and Pajusalu, Mihkel. 2020. "Laboratory studies on the viability of life in H2-dominated exoplanet atmospheres." Nature Astronomy, 4 (8).
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
© 2020, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. Theory and observation for the search for life on exoplanets via atmospheric ‘biosignature gases’ is accelerating, motivated by the capabilities of the next generation of space- and ground-based telescopes. The most observationally accessible rocky planet atmospheres are those dominated by molecular hydrogen gas, because the low density of H2 gas leads to an expansive atmosphere. The capability of life to withstand such exotic environments, however, has not been tested in this context. We demonstrate that single-celled microorganisms (Escherichia coli and yeast) that normally do not inhabit H2-dominated environments can survive and grow in a 100% H2 atmosphere. We also describe the astonishing diversity of dozens of different gases produced by E. coli, including many already proposed as potential biosignature gases (for example, nitrous oxide, ammonia, methanethiol, dimethylsulfide, carbonyl sulfide and isoprene). This work demonstrates the utility of laboratory experiments to better identify which kinds of alien environments can host some form of possibly detectable life.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry
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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1038/S41550-020-1069-4
