In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, researchers have proposed a fascinating theory: alien life forms might be purple. The study posits that extraterrestrial beings residing on Earth-like planets may exhibit colors vastly different from those found on our own planet, with purple emerging as a plausible hue.
The hypothesis stems from the idea that these alien life forms would be covered in bacteria, which could dictate their appearance and physiology. Unlike Earth, where green is synonymous with life due to the prevalence of chlorophyll in plants, the researchers suggest that on planets with limited or no visible light, organisms may evolve to utilize other wavelengths of light, such as infrared.
To test this theory, astrobiologists at Cornell University conducted experiments with various bacteria to measure the wavelengths of light they reflected. These bacteria, including purple-colored variants, were simulated under conditions resembling those found on exoplanets devoid of sunlight and oxygen. Remarkably, the results showed that purple bacteria could thrive in low-light environments by harnessing infrared light for photosynthesis.
“Purple bacteria can survive and thrive under such a variety of conditions that it is easy to imagine that on many different worlds, purple may just be the new green,” remarked Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute, emphasizing the adaptability of these organisms to diverse environments.
The findings suggest that depending on factors such as surface coverage of biota and cloud coverage, terrestrial planets could display signs of purple bacteria surface biopigments. While the existence of alien life remains speculative, the study proposes that purple could serve as a key indicator in the search for extraterrestrial life forms, offering new avenues for exploration in the quest to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos.
Read Now:Surprising Antarctic Discovery: Ross Ice Shelf Exhibits Daily Lurches
