Invisible Enemies: The Impending Danger for Jupiter's Survival (VIDEO)

Jupiter, the giant of the solar system, has always been a subject of fascination for astronomers and space enthusiasts. Its sheer size and colossal impact on the orbits of other planets make it a behemoth of a planet that we can’t ignore. However, what if I told you that Jupiter’s seemingly invincible nature could be shattered by the tiniest of living organisms? Yes, you heard it right. Jupiter could be destroyed by life, even the ones we can’t see with our naked eyes.

In a recent video sponsored by Ridge Wallets, the narrator sheds light on how the very existence of Jupiter could be threatened by a bunch of microbes that could have hitched a ride on a NASA probe sent to study the planet. Back in April 2003, Galileo probe after eight years of orbiting the planet was disposed of by NASA to prevent any possible contamination of Jupiter’s moons with earth-based microbes. Little did they know that the microbes might have already found a new home on Jupiter itself.

The Galileo probe, when disposed of, dived into clouds of frozen ammonia, where the temperature was slightly higher than minus 100 degrees Celsius. NASA scientists never assumed that terrestrial bacteria could survive on Jupiter, given its 90% hydrogen composition. However, recent research conducted by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has shown that microorganisms like E.coli and yeast can survive and even multiply on Jupiter’s surface.

But why is this such a big deal? The point is, the bacteria that feed on hydrogen have an endless supply of food and no natural enemies. So, their colony will grow really quickly. Meanwhile, bacteria will release methane and hydrogen sulfide, elements that are much heavier than hydrogen. If bacteria processed all the hydrogen on Jupiter, its mass would increase by four to eight times. As a result of increased gravity, the planet would become denser and reduced in size. And since methane and hydrogen sulfide are colorless gases, Jupiter’s color would change too.

But the most frightening thing is the chemical processes that will be launched once bacteria start changing the concentration of elements on Jupiter. As we know, Jupiter can withstand a meteorite impact that would destroy the Earth. Still, it might not be able to withstand an invisible enemy like bacteria that could change its very nature from the inside out.

But it’s not just the Galileo probe that could be a source of bacteria on Jupiter. This gas giant is under constant attack by asteroids and comets, and scientists believe that microorganisms could have gotten to Jupiter much earlier during its formation when it was actively devouring other planets. The Juno spacecraft, during its mission, discovered that Jupiter may have absorbed a whole other planet back at the dawn of the solar system, which was ten times the size of Earth and forever changed the axial tilt of the gas giant and its composition. It’s possible that this collision was when bacteria made their way to Jupiter.

The Great Red Spot, a storm on Jupiter that’s larger than the size of the Earth, has always been a subject of interest for astronomers. But what if I told you that it might be the accumulation of purple sulfur bacteria on Jupiter? These bacteria can feed on molecular hydrogen and multiply in Jupiter’s atmosphere. And if the Great Red Spot is, indeed, an accumulation of bacteria, then it’s not just a storm, but a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.