Saved on this device

Follow your curiosity

What discovery has been shared with you?

FACTREE gives you something interesting to discover every day — and something worth talking about together.

Start with one fact. Explore it, go deeper, then follow whichever branch catches your imagination.

Choose subjects for a surprise

Exploring any topic

Begin your discovery

Your next discovery is one click away.

Choose one or more subjects above, or leave Any Topic selected and let curiosity decide.

Astronomy

How Microbes Survive Interplanetary Ejection: Life, Rocks, and Panspermia

Quick fact

Some meteorites found on Earth are confirmed as Martian in origin, blasted off Mars by impacts. Experiments show that certain Earth microbes can survive the extreme acceleration and shock pressures of such an ejection, and even survive in space for years—hinting that life could indeed travel between planets.

Why this is interesting

Imagine a rock blasted off Mars, carrying a tiny community of microbes, crashing into Earth millions of years later. Could those ancient hitchhikers survive the journey and spark life here?