Recent studies have revealed that a bacterium named Desulforudis audaxviator can survive on Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs). GCRs are cosmic rays, which originate from sources outside the solar system and distributed throughout the Milky Way galaxy.
Scientists predict GCRs can be the source of energy for Aliens. According to new research in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the bacteria miles below the earth in abandoned mine shafts off the radioactive rocks.
Author Dimitra Atri, research scientist said D. audaxviator is the only known organism to live as a result of radiolysis. In this a substance decomposes as a result of radiation.
The bacteria lives under such extreme conditions is the only of its kind and called an "extremophile" - eats radioactive rocks extracting carbon and other essential chemicals from them.
According to the scientists it is strange that the bacteria lives in such extreme conditions although, there is air and light available. The only known bacteria for living in extreme conditions were the ones who live in hydrothermal vents.
Atri showed that GCRs behave like radioactive rocks depositing the same amount of energy below the surface. High energy particles strike planet's surface producing secondary particles.
The secondary particles interact with the ground to start a chain reaction. This keeps producing new particles until all the energy is used up.
"This energy from secondary particles produced from GCRs is similar to the energy produced from radioactive substances, so it should be able to power radiolysis (outside of Earth) too," Atri said. GCRs travelling to Earth are stopped by the atmosphere except for a few.
However, Mars, Jupiter's moon Europa, Pluto do not have a thick atmosphere to stop GCRs. Scientists say that if an organism can power itself with radiolysis then there is absolutely no need of air and water for survival.
If this phenomenon exists on Earth, there could be possibilities of it in other planetary objects too. According to Seeker, "Plenty of such locations exist on Mars and Europa, and it would be useful to dig below the surface and see if anything is out there," added Atri.
