NASA announcement thursday

Author	Message
Bill Walker Send message Joined: 4 Sep 99 Posts: 3868 Credit: 2,697,267 RAC: 0	Message 1052466 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 12:47:23 UTC Maybe I'm missing the point here (not being a biologist), but wouldn't this just prove that life, once having come into existence in suitable circumstances,could evolve to exploit a niche environment different from the "ideal" one it was created in? Isn't it a big leap to then say "therefore life could come into existence in very different environments"? ID: 1052466 ·

Carlos Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 29828 Credit: 57,275,487 RAC: 157	Message 1052492 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 16:21:03 UTC It's probably a really stunning announcement, like they found intelligent life in congress. ID: 1052492 ·

perryjay Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 20 Aug 02 Posts: 3377 Credit: 20,676,751 RAC: 0	Message 1052511 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 17:15:05 UTC - in response to Message 1052492. It's probably a really stunning announcement, like they found intelligent life in congress. They found the janitor's break room? PROUD MEMBER OF Team Starfire World BOINC ID: 1052511 ·

Miep Volunteer moderator Send message Joined: 23 Jul 99 Posts: 2412 Credit: 351,996 RAC: 0	Message 1052517 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 17:27:42 UTC last time I managed to get a chat with somebody there, they were still expecting to find DNA out there... (or rather looking for it) Arsenic mhm toxicity replacement of Zn and P probbaly intresting biochemistry thre, either some good pumps or may it actually uses arsenic as the metallic cofactor... Scientist heaven ;) Carola ------- I'm multilingual - I can misunderstand people in several languages! ID: 1052517 ·

Gary Charpentier Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 30646 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32	Message 1052543 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 20:04:44 UTC - in response to Message 1052415. Story; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8174040/Life-as-we-dont-know-it-discovery-could-prove-existence-of-aliens.html Mono lake picked itself up and moved into Yosemite National Park? Now that is a real story! Only about 50-100 miles east of the park - pretty close for a journalist. Now, if the extinct volcano under Mono Lake decided to come back to life....... It isn't extinct. Last eruption within 2000 years. Still has a hot spot under it. ID: 1052543 ·

Qui-Gon Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 15 May 99 Posts: 2940 Credit: 19,199,902 RAC: 11	Message 1052545 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 20:11:51 UTC Last modified: 2 Dec 2010, 20:42:47 UTC The way I understand this is that the discovery of life, which includes arsenic rather than potassium, changes the odds that life may exist elsewhere in the universe (galaxy/solar system) since the "formula" for determining the likelihood of life relies on many variables, including the existence of certain precursor chemicals on other planets. If the only elements that support life are the six elements that have formed (the majority of) life on earth, and until now potassium was one of those six, then the odds of extra-terrestrial life are less than if other combinations of elements can form life. ID: 1052545 ·

Gary Charpentier Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 30646 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32	Message 1052548 - Posted: 2 Dec 2010, 20:19:02 UTC I think there are a lot of places on earth we haven't looked for life because we assume that life can't be there. We are looking now and finding a lot of extreme-o-philes living in conditions we didn't think possible. I suspect life will be found everywhere we look where water (or some other solvent) is liquid at least part of the time. ID: 1052548 ·

nemesis Send message Joined: 12 Oct 99 Posts: 1408 Credit: 35,074,350 RAC: 0	Message 1052611 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 0:16:51 UTC i think arsenic was mentioned in a Science Channel show i was watching months ago.... so much for NASA's late breaking news flashes... ID: 1052611 ·

Johnney Guinness Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 11 Sep 06 Posts: 3093 Credit: 2,652,287 RAC: 0	Message 1052657 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 6:22:06 UTC Last modified: 3 Dec 2010, 6:23:05 UTC The discovery of arsenic based life is nothing other than an interesting curiosity to biologists. It has exactly zero impact on the search for life outside this planet!! In fact it only serves to complicate the search further. This was a NASA stunt to raise funding. For god sake, there are bacteria in the drain pipe of my kitchen sink that have greater implications in the search for extraterrestrial life. Who cares what's swimming in Mono lake. What a let down, NASA are getting very desperate! John. ID: 1052657 ·

Gary Charpentier Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 30646 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32	Message 1052662 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 7:01:36 UTC - in response to Message 1052657. What a let down, NASA are getting very desperate! Are you sure it is NASA getting desperate or the tabloids and the malicious false expectations they planted in your mind? ID: 1052662 ·

Scarecrow Send message Joined: 15 Jul 00 Posts: 4520 Credit: 486,601 RAC: 0	Message 1052665 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 7:48:29 UTC ID: 1052665 ·

Miep Volunteer moderator Send message Joined: 23 Jul 99 Posts: 2412 Credit: 351,996 RAC: 0	Message 1052689 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 10:59:18 UTC - in response to Message 1052657. The discovery of arsenic based life is nothing other than an interesting curiosity to biologists. It has exactly zero impact on the search for life outside this planet!! In fact it only serves to complicate the search further. This was a NASA stunt to raise funding. For god sake, there are bacteria in the drain pipe of my kitchen sink that have greater implications in the search for extraterrestrial life. Who cares what's swimming in Mono lake. What a let down, NASA are getting very desperate! John. Well from the microbiology/biochemistry viewpoint those bacteria are very intresting indeed, but it just shows how adaptable they are and yes, if there's life in conditions we think of as adverse there's a good chance life is out there - but we knew that anyway didn't we? Carola ------- I'm multilingual - I can misunderstand people in several languages! ID: 1052689 ·

soft^spirit Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 6497 Credit: 34,134,168 RAC: 0	Message 1052704 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 13:39:38 UTC actually using arsenic in the DNA is the interesting part, since it not only expands the environment that life can adapt to, but also the very ingredients of life. That is very significant. Janice ID: 1052704 ·

skildude Send message Joined: 4 Oct 00 Posts: 9541 Credit: 50,759,529 RAC: 60	Message 1052758 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 17:26:16 UTC - in response to Message 1052704. For their next feat lets see some real scifi silicon based life In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face. Diogenes Of Sinope ID: 1052758 ·

SciManStev Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 20 Jun 99 Posts: 6652 Credit: 121,090,076 RAC: 0	Message 1052803 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 22:21:52 UTC - in response to Message 1052758. For their next feat lets see some real scifi silicon based life Ah yes, the Horta! Steve Warning, addicted to SETI crunching! Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group. GPUUG Website ID: 1052803 ·

nemesis Send message Joined: 12 Oct 99 Posts: 1408 Credit: 35,074,350 RAC: 0	Message 1052812 - Posted: 3 Dec 2010, 23:34:13 UTC Wikileaks said the next dump of documents will have UFO related memos. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ID: 1052812 ·

Donald L. Johnson Send message Joined: 5 Aug 02 Posts: 8240 Credit: 14,654,533 RAC: 20	Message 1052889 - Posted: 4 Dec 2010, 5:16:10 UTC - in response to Message 1052543. Story; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8174040/Life-as-we-dont-know-it-discovery-could-prove-existence-of-aliens.html Mono lake picked itself up and moved into Yosemite National Park? Now that is a real story! Only about 50-100 miles east of the park - pretty close for a journalist. Now, if the extinct volcano under Mono Lake decided to come back to life....... It isn't extinct. Last eruption within 2000 years. Still has a hot spot under it. You are correct, sir. I should have said "dormant". Donald Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired ID: 1052889 ·

zoom3+1=4 Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65745 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49	Message 1052950 - Posted: 4 Dec 2010, 7:02:34 UTC - in response to Message 1052803. Last modified: 4 Dec 2010, 7:03:06 UTC For their next feat lets see some real scifi silicon based life Ah yes, the Horta! Steve Cement, Trowel, Soap, Water, Towel... The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's ID: 1052950 ·

Rick Laviolette Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 30 Apr 08 Posts: 1 Credit: 617,178 RAC: 0	Message 1053324 - Posted: 6 Dec 2010, 12:07:36 UTC - in response to Message 1052665. This is funny. thanks ID: 1053324 ·

Dune Finkleberry Send message Joined: 22 Sep 99 Posts: 1314 Credit: 1,124,651 RAC: 0	Message 1054044 - Posted: 8 Dec 2010, 19:42:42 UTC - in response to Message 1052812. Wikileaks said the next dump of documents will have UFO related memos. If that were true, I'd actually read some of their stuff. Otherwise, it's just too boring read. ID: 1054044 ·

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