NASA announcement Dec 2, 2pm

[dirt diggler]

There will be a press confrence held at 2pm today to  "discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life"

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/nov/HQ_M10-167_Astrobiology.html

[ResinRat2]

This is a classic. Jump to 6:00 minutes and enjoy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY4axrzuOAA&feature=related

LOL!

[Steven Dufresne]

It may be a shocker from a biology point of view but not an extraterrestrial point of view. They found bacteria here on Earth that uses arsenic as a basic building block instead of phosphorus, which is the opposite of what was known about all life on Earth until now. What they find significant about this is that alien life might be... alien.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/astrobiology_toxic_chemical.html
-Steve
http://rimstar.org   http://wsminfo.org

[mscoffman]

It may be a shocker from a biology point of view but not an extraterrestrial point of view. They found bacteria here on Earth that uses arsenic as a basic building block instead of phosphorus, which is the opposite of what was known about all life on Earth until now. What they find significant about this is that alien life might be... alien.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/astrobiology_toxic_chemical.html
-Steve
http://rimstar.org   http://wsminfo.org

True...All living organism use standard DNA coding and use a phosphorus
based dual backbone. These bacteria apparently allow the arsenic element
to replace the phosphorus in their DNA...Shocking from a "biological-rules"
standpoint but not so shocking from a basic chemistry standpoint. The really
supprising part is the replacement of phosphate in ATP adenosinetriphosphate,
I guess to form ATA adenosinetriarsinate part of the energy pathway in cells.
I have a feeling life may have visited this elemental interchange previously in
evolutionary history, at some point. I guess you call could it a hybrid semi-alien.
Evolution doesn't respect the rules though because it doesn't design things
according to rules.

:S:MarkSCoffman

[ramset]

I suppose the rules are,There are no rules !

Only temporary interpretations based on current realities?

Spock told us that 30? years ago!

Geesh !!!

Chet