Search for living cells in stratospheric samples

Abstract

Air samples are to be collected at various altitudes in the stratosphere using balloons flown from Hyderabad, India. The samples will be passed through sterile micropore filters, after which the filters will be analysed using voltage sensitive lipophilic dyes to detect the presence of either active or non-active cells. Organisms detected in this manner will be studied using static mass spectroscopy to establish isotopic ratios (superscript 13)C/(superscript 12)C and D/H, which would distinguish between terrestrial and extraterrestrial cells.