THE search for little green men on other worlds may get a little easier with help from research funded by a Swindon organisation.
The experts from Cranfield University have been funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, based at North Star.
They were given £62,000 to improve the equipment on space probes used to try to identify life on other planets.
The work is focusing on the development of more effective and robust systems for detecting 'biomarkers' which indicate the existence of current or extinct life.
Dr David Cullen of Cranfield University's Institute of Bioscience and Technology led the research. He said: "Our work represents a significant step forward in the search for extraterrestrial biomarkers."
"Producing technology to develop a more effective biomarker detection system will have a huge impact on out understanding of how life originates and evolves."
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