NASA Disovers New Lifeform
 

http://gizmodo.com/5704158/nasa-finds-new-life

Arsenic being poison, it sounds like the "life" forms are not food. Throw them back... next.

Yeah, if we don't find life forms, we'll expand the definition until we do.

Eureka, I've found it!
That's the rock I tripped over yesterday.
That was yesterday, today it's a lifeform.

I can see expanding the markers for initial searching so they don't overlook something, but don't they have a certain list of qualifications, that constitute a lifeform, a definition of a lifeform? Like it has to grow, or reproduce, or even eat, I mean it doesn't have to write sonatas, but something.

I don't have the biochemistry to completely understand this, but doesn't DNA stand for a big long word like dioxyribonucleic acid, or something like that? And isn't DNA made up of all these bases? The As and Cs and Ts and Gs? And isn't each "A" an actual specific chemical? (And so on.)

If we're switching chemicals here, so that the formula for each base pair is different, then how can they call it DNA? DNA has a specific chemical formula. wouldn't they have to make up a new name for it? Does the "DNA" in this bacteria have the same double helix shape?

Is that what they are saying, or are they saying a lifeform no longer needs DNA to qualify as such?

Maybe it's like carbon-based oils vs silicon-based oils.

Silicone oil works better in SillyPutty.

More detail. It does have double helix "DNA" (I'm not sure if the phosphorus-arsenic switch is enough to rename it). The phosphorus is replaced by arsenic in the DNA and other parts of the cells. The two elements are similar, but arsenic is less stable in these molecules. These bacteria have apparently overcome that instability.

[Not sure whether this is exactly what the NASA announcement was about, but it certainly seems related]

I just had a billion dollar idea. Remember, you heard it here first. Just a novelty item, but a "putty" that you can stretch and press onto your computer screen to get an image...just like silly putty with newspaper. Then you can stretch it and make funny things. I want to silly grab that picture Flint has been posting. That would be great silly putty fodder!

Another good description.

Why is it I keep running into references to my husband's ex? It just never ends!:mad2:

Fantastic idea Shaw, I want 2nd-market rights for printing onto balloons.

Too bad we don't know any technical genius types. :rolleyes:

I don't know what 2nd market rights are, but you got it.

Now, you technical genius types, this can probably be done fairly easily. Get crackin'!

Interesting information heard on NPR this morning:

This wasn't an accidental discovery, she was looking for it. Felisa Wolfe Simon was fascinated by animals that make chemical substitutions (such as crustaceans substituting copper for iron to carry the oxygen in their bloodstream) and so she went to an arsenic-rich environment hoping to find this.

The arsenic doesn't completely replace all the phosphorus in the DNA of these bacteria. But I guess you could call it a proof of concept.

Humans do that with lead (not in our DNA AFAIK) if our diets are lacking in Iron or Calcium and Lead is available the body will take up lead in place of Iron or Calcium. Though with potentially serious negative consequences.

The bacteria were isolated from Mono Lake, CA.,
The lake is large and spectacular...
and well worth Googling via Web, Map(satellite) and Images.

Here is one image of the tufa:

They went looking for this stuff? Hmmm. Sounds familiar.....


Kidding.;)