'ALIENS' found just 25 miles above Earth could hold the secret to the origin of LIFE

Milton Wainwright, a researcher at the University of Sheffield, says the organisms discovered by balloons sent into the stratosphere - the furthest any organism has been found away from earth - tested positive for DNA and are "six times bigger than the size limit of a particle which can be elevated from Earth to this height".

His claims come two years after he maintained microorganisms, thought to be a type of algae, found 16 miles above the Earth's surface were not of this world. 

Professor Wainwright's newest claim was revealed after one of his students posted an e-mail announcing the discovery on social networking website Reddit. 

He told Motherboard, Vice magazine's online tech channel: "These organisms are biological, have a definite structure and are not related to organisms on Earth. 

"We sent balloons and a sampler and found no pollen or grass, nothing up there to contaminate, it was completely pristine. 

"There are impact events on the sampler. They make craters on the sampler - if they come up from Earth, they would be coming against gravity." 

He said this is why he believes the organisms are coming from space.

A paper he has written on his newest findings has been accepted in an "international astrobiology journal", according to the professor, but he has not said which one. 

Although many scientists think he does not have enough evidence, few said he is entirely wrong and if he can prove he is correct, his discovery has the potential to change what we know about the origins of life on Earth.

He added that comets could be the source of life throughout the universe and could be the origin of life altogether. 

Professor Wainwright added: "NASA is going to have to show it for people to ultimately believe it. 

"If NASA printed it, people would believe it. All we can do is keep putting it out, keep publishing, hope someone will look into it.”