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| Dr.Godfry Louis & M.Santhosh Kumar, School of Pure and Applied Physics, M.G.University, Kottayam |
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Could some tiny microbes from outer space have caused the unusual red-coloured rain witnessed in many parts of Kerala recently? If one goes by the study of Dr.Godfry Louis, Reader at School of Pure and Applied Physics, M.G.University and his research student M.Santhosh Kumar, the secret of the coloured rain lies in the heat-resistant organisms that must have rode piggy-back on a comet to visit the earth. His theory has made many sit up and take notice and Dr.Godfry was specially invited to the Astrobiology conference held at Copenhagen, Denmark during January.
During the 2½-year research, the duo was able to culture the organism in the lab. While the best known example of any being that could resist high temperature was 'Strain 121' capable of withstanding upto 121 degree celcius, these tiny aliens are capable of withstanding upto 300 degree celcius. They are resistant to high-pressure also.
All living beings on earth are characterised by a DNA structure, but the absence of it is another hallmark of the visitors. However, they have a protein structure.
The study based on 124 cases of red-rain infers that the comet could have traveled in a North-Easterly direction and disintegrated as it entered the earth’s atmosphere above Pathanamthitta-Changanassery area. The mixing of these tiny red beings in the stratosphere could have contributed to the occurrence of the rain for a prolonged period of 2 months.
Courtesy: Sabu Thomas, Malayala Manorama, February 1, 2004
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