NASA finds new form of life

[Winston001]

An extraordinary discovery in a California lake: bacteria which uses arsenic instead of phosphorous in its molecular structure.

http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/57851/

A clip from the announcement:

"At their conference today, NASA scientist Felisa Wolfe Simon will announce that they have found a bacteria whose DNA is completely alien to what we know today. Instead of using phosphorus, the bacteria uses arsenic. All life on Earth is made of six components: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Every being, from the smallest amoeba to the largest whale, share the same life stream. Our DNA blocks are all the same.

But not this one. This one is completely different. Discovered in the poisonous Mono Lake, California, this bacteria is made of arsenic, something that was thought to be completely impossible. While she and other scientists theorized that this could be possible, this is the first discovery. The implications of this discovery are enormous to our understanding of life itself and the possibility of finding beings in other planets that don't have to be like planet Earth."

[Skyryder]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/science/news/article.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10691623

And with the increase of stars in the universe that increases the chances that there are other forms of life that are thriving in conditions that would kill us.


Skyryder

[Gubb]

I bet the new lifeform and SMOKEU are pretty closely related.

[mashman]

An extraordinary discovery in a California lake: bacteria which uses arsenic instead of phosphorous in its molecular structure.

http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/57851/

A clip from the announcement:

"At their conference today, NASA scientist Felisa Wolfe Simon will announce that they have found a bacteria whose DNA is completely alien to what we know today. Instead of using phosphorus, the bacteria uses arsenic. All life on Earth is made of six components: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Every being, from the smallest amoeba to the largest whale, share the same life stream. Our DNA blocks are all the same.

But not this one. This one is completely different. Discovered in the poisonous Mono Lake, California, this bacteria is made of arsenic, something that was thought to be completely impossible. While she and other scientists theorized that this could be possible, this is the first discovery. The implications of this discovery are enormous to our understanding of life itself and the possibility of finding beings in other planets that don't have to be like planet Earth."

or not maybe (http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20101208/sc_yblog_thelookout/scientists-poking-holes-in-nasas-arsenic-eating-microbe-discovery)

[Shadows]

Bah. Old news. Somebody should check out the shit living in my fridge.

[Winston001]

or not maybe (http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20101208/sc_yblog_thelookout/scientists-poking-holes-in-nasas-arsenic-eating-microbe-discovery)

Interesting. Biologists say that this substitution of atoms has been known about for a while, so the discovery isn't quite as unique as publicised. Also it seems that the bacteria grab arsenic in the laboratory tests - but as for the bacteria in Mono Lake - no-one is quite sure. I need to read more. :D