Phototrophy and Bioengineering Life in Venus Clouds - Ep 24

Investigating potential phototrophy, habitability, and bioengineering of microbes and potential floating algae in the lower, middle, and upper cloud layers of Venus with our guest, Rakesh Mogul, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Chemistry and Director; NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Professor Rakesh recently published a study outlined below in finding that sunlight filtering through Venus’ clouds could support Earth-like photosynthesis round-the-clock in Venus’ clouds with the middle and lower clouds receiving similar solar energy as Earth’s surface.

Mogul R, Limaye SS, Lee YJ, Pasillas M. Potential for Phototrophy in Venus' Clouds. Astrobiology. October, 2021;21(10):1237-1249. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2021.0032

Professor Rakesh's Website:

https://www.cpp.edu/~rmogul/home.html

Discussion/topics include:

Part 1: Phototrophy and Habitability in Venus Clouds

Bacterial chlorophyll B, floating algal blooms, cloud chemistry, photophysical/chemical/biological habitability, hammett acidity factor, bioavailable water activity level, neutralized sulfuric acid favor a habitable zone, solar irradiances for photosynthesis, primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP), NASA 1kg Aircraft Bioaerosol Collector (ABC), airborne microbial metabolism and spores up to 38km in Earth's clouds, mitosis cell division in clouds

Part 2: Bioengineering

Investigating how to apply the following systems to adapt microbial life to local conditions in Venus clouds: Venus sulfuric acid (H2SO4) coatings, airborne DNA sequencers, Bioengineering Whispering gallery mode (WGM) phycobilliproteins, biophotonic Optofluidic Microcavities Liquid Crystal Droplets, introducing an enzyme into the water to increase H production by 400%, UV resistant nanostructured coatings and biofouling hydrophilic coatings, self replicating algae mats and floating algae ISRU bioreactors in clouds of Venus

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