A small desert town is invaded by a deadly sickness that originated in space and threatens humanity in Michael Crichton’s book ‘The Andromeda Strain.’
The publication of the book, which came just before Apollo 11’s lunar landing, raised concerns about possible contamination from extraterrestrial life that the astronauts may have brought back with them.
NASA’s Apollo Quarantine Protocol Controversy
NASA implemented a quarantine system for the mission, but new research suggests that it might have been simply symbolic.
Although the safeguards were taken, the possibility of lunar pollution leaking into the Earth’s atmosphere was not adequately addressed.
Because there was a minimal probability of a space-related plague spreading and because NASA sought to allay public anxiety, they played down their concerns.
Although the true danger that lunar microorganisms pose is yet unknown, understanding what went wrong with the quarantine strategy might be helpful for future missions, especially ones to Mars.
It is difficult to determine whether the bacteria brought back from the moon by Apollo 11 posed a risk to humanity. The majority of microbial life on Earth is completely harmless to us, and some species may even be necessary for our survival.
It’s also possible that any potential moon germs wouldn’t even be able to communicate with our cells because they would have developed independently from life on Earth for a very long time.
It’s difficult to say whether any lunar bacteria brought back by Apollo 11 would have been dangerous to humans.
The majority of Earth’s microbial life is completely harmless to humans, and some species might even be necessary for our survival.
Furthermore, since any potential moon germs would have evolved independently from life on Earth for a very long time, it’s possible that they wouldn’t even be able to communicate with our cells.
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Challenges in Containing Alien Microbes
The enhanced NASA procedures attempt to contain potential alien microorganisms, even though it may be challenging to entirely manage such bugs.
In the end, the Apollo 11 mission’s adoption of a quarantine technique that is likely to have failed could be a crucial lesson for future missions that aim to bring back supplies (and people) from Mars and beyond.
Due to its atmosphere and geochemistry, Mars has a significantly higher probability of having microbial life than the moon.
An improved strategy for containing alien germs was published by NASA in 2020, despite the fact that it hasn’t yet been used.
Even with these rules in place, it might not be able to totally contain a runaway space bacterium. We can only hope that they come in peace or that they are sensitive to Lysol.
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