A technique and some results of meteorite microbiological investigations

The possibility of the introduction of living organisms on earth with meteorites is a question of interest for scientists. It is quite possible that bacterial spores can remain in an anabiotic state for a long time, thus there is no reason to refuse the possibility of microorganisms present in meteorite. A special box was constructed in order to take samples from meteorites under sterile conditions because penetration of a soil microflora inside meteorites upon their fall on the earth surface is quite possible. The sterilized rock pieces were put into soil, samples were removed at intervals and subjected to microbiological assay. In all cases different soil microorganisms were found in the central parts of the samples tested. In another study a canal was drilled in the sterile rock and meteorite samples and a bacterial culture was poured into this canal, the sample being submerged into a liquid growth medium. Cell penetration through the rock took place and bacterial growth was found in the liquid growth medium. Therefore meteorites extracted from soil not at once after their fall are hardly suitable for microbiological assay.