Atmospheric Microbes’ Pigments Could Reveal Extraterrestrial Life, Study Finds
Researchers have measured the reflectance spectra of pigmented microorganisms from Earth’s upper atmosphere for the first time. These protective compounds could help astronomers identify life in the clouds of other planets through future space telescope observations.
Breakthrough in Biosignature Research
Scientists have made significant progress in the search for extraterrestrial life by analyzing the colorful protective pigments of microbes living high in Earth’s atmosphere, according to recent research. For the first time, researchers have measured the reflectance spectra of microorganisms collected from the stratosphere, providing new tools for detecting potential life on distant planets.