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Panspermia Theory
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Panspermia theory: the origin of life on Earth and the transfer of life throughout the Universe. Three popular variations of the hypothesis are directed panspermia - the intentional transfer of life to other planets by intelligent life; lithopanspermia - extremophile bacteria traveling through space within a meteorite, asteroid or comet from a planet in one solar system to a planet in another solar system; and ballistic panspermia - extremophile microbes traveling through space within meteorites, asteroids or comets between planets within the same solar system, such as from Mars to Earth. Panspermia has been explored by the astrobiology community and endorsed by astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and Nobel prize winner Professor Francis Crick.