Scientists are preparing earth organisms to life on Mars. Russian scientists conducted a series of experiments with the very substance that is found Curiosity Rover and with the earthly bacteria.

Staff of the faculty of soil science of Moscow state University found that some communities of microorganisms on earth not terrible conditions of Mars is neither void nor radiation or strong oxidants, including perchlorate, which recently dug on this planet Curiosity Rover. In other words, these bacteria could for a long time to live in the conditions of the red planet.

In the experiment took part as bacteria from the permafrost, and from the arid soil is developing in the conditions of arid climate. - We have modeled the situation of Mars, as close as possible to real. At the Physical-technical Institute. A. F. Ioffe made a special climatic chamber, on those parameters that exist on this planet. Experienced in this chamber a few samples of microbial communities - from the arid soil and Antarctic soil - and found that high concentrations of oxidants, radiation, low pressure and temperature do not contradict the possibility of adaptation and long-term survival on Mars these microorganisms, explains the nature of the experiments senior research fellow of the faculty of soil science of Moscow state University Elena Vorobieva.

Previously different groups of scientists have conducted studies of the impacts of extreme conditions on the microorganisms. The principal difference of the new experiments that they were not to individual colonies of bacteria, and with the whole community of microorganisms. "To understand how the car was going to explore it, and whole, and not only on individual parts," explains Elena Vorobieva.

Bacteria in communities survive at temperatures from -50 to +50, at a pressure of less than one Torr and when exposed to high radiation doses (25 Mrad). This bacterial community survived when receiving doses were considered earlier sterilizing, and did not die when exposed to critical values of acidity. Scientists believe that alone microbial culture would have had no chance of survival, but could adapt it in the communities. Interestingly, some microorganisms even retained metabolic and reproductive function.

It is equally important that the experiment involved the same substance found the Rover. In fact proved that the soil of Mars is not detrimental to the life, and its radiation tolerant microorganisms.

However, scientists have long assumed that in the soil of the planet for their high content of perchlorate, indirect evidence that scientists received in the result of NASA programs "Viking". Now scientists from the MSU continue the experiments in the climatic chamber increasing the dose of radiation and trying to find critical. During the year Vorobyov promises to shut down.

In an academic environment know about these experiments, which essentially continue known scientist David Gilichinsky - Professor of the Institute of physicochemical and biological problems of soil science, which actively explored the Arctic and the Antarctic, and the detection of microorganisms adapted to extreme conditions. - Microorganisms very quickly adapt to any conditions. In the permafrost they is being inactive and they have all the mechanisms in order to preserve themselves in the same condition that they had millions of years ago. Bacteria slow down metabolism. The cells have a protective substances, which do not allow them to freeze. But as soon as conditions become more favorable will begin a more intensive metabolism, and they return to life, " says senior researcher, laboratory of soil Microbiology Institute of physicochemical and biological problems in soil science of Russian Academy of Sciences Tetyana dyomkina.

Curiously, however, the cell also quickly adapt to favorable conditions and unfavorable. Getting into the nutrient medium it can quickly lose all the properties that they had to survive in extreme conditions. Therefore, scientists and consider the most appropriate for experiments cells that millions of years were in a "dormant" and have not typical for the rest of life on Earth survival mechanisms.