Professor Jayant V. Narlikar

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Confirmation of the presence of viable but non-culturable bacteria in the stratosphere
(Cambridge University Press, 2004-01-05) Wainwright, M.; Wickramasinghe, N. C.; Narlikar, J. V.; et al.
The presence of viable, but non-cultureable, bacteria on membranes through which stratospheric air samples were passed has been confirmed using viable fluorescent staining.
Microorganisms cultured from stratospheric air samples obtained at 41 km
(Elsevier Science Publishers, 2002-12-03) Wainwright, M.; Wickramasinghe, N. C.; Narlikar, J. V.; et al.
Samples of air removed from the stratosphere, at an altitude of 41 km, were previously found to contain viable, but non-cultureable bacteria (cocci and rods). Here, we describe experiments aimed at growing these, together with any other organisms, present in these samples. Two bacteria (Bacillus simplex and Staphylococcus pasteuri) and a single fungus, Engyodontium album (Limber) de Hoog were isolated from the samples. Although the possibility of contamination can never be ruled out when space-derived samples are studied on earth, we are confident that the organisms originated from the stratosphere. Possible mechanisms by which these organisms could have attained such a height are discussed