A team of experts from the natural resources department at McGill University, the National Research Council of Canada, the University of Toronto and the SETI Institute has found that some methanotrophic bacteria survive in an unusual spring located on Axel Heiberg Island in the extreme Canadian North. (more…)

The bacteria commonly found on spacecraft can survive in the harsh environment of Mars long enough to inadvertently contaminate the planet with terrestrial life. A new study supports this theory.

The search for indigenous life on Mars is one of the most important goals for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. In order to preserve the pristine environments, the loads on spacecraft aimed at Mars are subject to sterilization and avoid contamination of the Martian surface. (more…)