Life originated on earth or from outer space? Scientists seek answer via microbes

In India, scientists from the Indian Space Research Organization, National Centre for Cell Science, Inter-University Centre For Astronomy and Astrophysics, and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research are planning to collect microbes from air samples in high altitudes via balloons and trace the origins of the live microbes to find out whether comets from outer space helped seed life on Earth. Their hypothesis will also look at whether this seeding continues today from extraterrestrial origins causing epidemics like SARS. While a study conducted years ago showed the presence of microbes in higher altitudes, this study will try to find out whether those microbes are of terrestrial or extraterrestrial origin.