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Organic Matter and the Moon, by Carl Sagan (1961) / Chapter Skim
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VIII. SUMMARY
Pages 40-41

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From page 40...
... Organisms shielded from solar illumination, perhaps in congealed dust matrix interstices, would survive cosmic radiation and natural radioactivity for 109 years or more. Lunar subsurface temperatures are not too high to impede survival.
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From page 41...
... It is recommended that all lunar probes be thoroughly decontaminated, and that the first soft-landing probes be equipped for chemical analysis and biological plating of subsurface samples.
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Key Terms

  • organic molecules
  • lunar organisms
  • field strength
  • lunar surface
  • matrix interstices

  • surface density
  • solar ultraviolet
  • terrestrial organisms
  • lunar atmosphere
  • magnetically deflected

  • distribution throughout
  • solar protons
  • cosmic radiation
  • ultraviolet radiation
  • beneath overlying

  • dust indicates
  • hydrostatic pressure
  • magnetic field
  • anaerobic microorganisms
  • strength exceeds

  • radiosensitive dormant
  • incident solar
  • overlying layers
  • surviving primitive
  • terrestrial microorganisms

  • indigenous lunar
  • congealed dust
  • absolute amount
  • radiation produced
  • solar illumination


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
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