The Philae Comet Could Be Home to Microbial Alien Life, Scientists Say

Two top astronomers say the comet that is now home to the Philae lander could also be inhabited by microbial alien life.

Several characteristics of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, such as its organic-rich black crust, are best explained by the presence of living organisms beneath its icy surface, reports The Guardian.

Astronomer and astrobiologist Chandra Wickramasinghe and his colleague Max Willis from the University of Cardiff believe comets like 67P could be home to microbes similar to “extremophiles,” which live in the most inhospitable parts of earth.

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta craft, which is orbiting the comet, is also said to have picked up strange “clusters” of organic material that resemble viral particles.

UPDATE: Scientists have poured cold water on the claims by Willis and Wickramasinghe that 67P was likely hospitable to alien life.

[Guardian]

PHOTOS: 20 Breathtaking Images of Earth From Space

Aleppo, Syria, May 26, 2013 – The Citadel of Aleppo – medieval fortified palace

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Belfast, Northern Ireland, Nov. 3, 2013 – “Wish,” a large-scale art work

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Utah, USA, April 22, 2013 – Colorado River

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Cuanza River, Angola, April 28, 2013 – Cambambe Dam

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Doha, Qatar, March 4, 2013 – Artificial island spanning nearly four million sq meters.

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Dunalley, Australia, Jan. 6, 2013 – fires, false color image (red = healthy vegetation)

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Australia, April 22, 2013 – Great Barrier Reef

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Gwadar coast, Pakistan Sept. 29, 2013 – new island created by earthquake in Pakistan

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Croatia, Feb. 16, 2013 – Galešnjak (Island of Love)

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Hong Kong, China May 9, 2013 – giant rubber duck

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, March 22, 2013 – Manam Volcano

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Namib Desert, Namibia, May 13, 2013 – Sossusvlie area

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Naples, Italy, Feb. 19 2013 – Mount Vesuvius

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Niger, Feb. 13, 2013 – Arlit Uranium Mine

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Schooner Cays, Bahamas, May 26, 2013

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Sochi, Russia, March 17, 2013 – Site of 2014 winter Olympics

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Near the city of Sur, Oman, Feb. 13, 2013 – massive “green tide”

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Valencia, Spain, July 19, 2013 – Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia and Gulliver Park with an enormous fiberglass model of Lemuel Gulliver trapped

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Versailles, France, Aug. 20, 2013 – Palace of Versailles

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

Xi'an, China, Sept. 24, 2013 – Shiyuan Park

DigitalGlobe—Getty Images

1 of 20

Advertisement

Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com.