It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

[woollypigs]

NASA just found something that does not have the same DNA build up as us humans.

NASA Finds New Life

One thing that I have always said if we find life out there in space, it would not be anything like what we call life. Though I had never thought that we should find it on our little rock that we call home.

So have they arrived ?

[andygates]

Arsenic's one down in the same family as phosphorous, so this is an analogue to the "silicon-based life forms" beloved of sci-fi, except mapping P to As instead of C to Si: our carbon prejudice is showing. 

The lake is poisonous.  One assumes with arsenic, so the source was there, which means that what we have are awesome locals, and a whole new class of stuff to consider when looking for exolife.

Cool!

Eagerly awaiting the official release now!

[woollypigs]

Yeah we need to broaden our search parameters when using SETI.
 

[Kim]

If this is true, then words cannot express how awesomely cool this is.  


This is way more interesting than snow.  Hell, it's even more interesting than reflectives for PBP

[Rhys W]

Wow. I'd heard about the announcement, but assumed it was on a celestial body. I guess molecules arrange themselves with what's around, and the arsenic content means it's not bothered by having anything above it in the food chain.

Looking forward to more details though.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Yeah we need to broaden our search parameters when using SETI.
 

[David Martin]

There are significant differences between C->Si and P->As though as Si cannot behave anywhere near the same as C in terms of organic molecules.

Must go and read up on Arsenic chemistry. Maybe there is a role for these bacteria in bioremediation of gold ore?
 
..d

[clarion]

Truly wonderful.

[border-rider]

It's the first ever evidence that life has emerged more than once.

Since the chemistry's totally different, it has to be a whole separate instance  

Once you broken the "unique" constraint, then there's no reason to not expect it all over the universe.

This is BIG

[Gattopardo]

Wasn't there a group of bacteria that lived near a poisinous volcano out crop under the water that was silicon based or am I imagining it?

[mrcharly-YHT]

It's the first ever evidence that life has emerged more than once.

Since the chemistry's totally different, it has to be a whole separate instance  

Once you broken the "unique" constraint, then there's no reason to not expect it all over the universe.

This is BIG

Is this the first proof that there is more than one sky pixie?

[andygates]

Kinda depends what the rest of the structure is.  If it's bugs with an arsenic transplant, then they're probably relict archaea with a toxic environment and "ornery" dialled up to eleven. 

[Gattopardo]

its all a trick to get people not to believe in god.

[Bledlow]

Oooh, fascinating. But could be what Mr Gates says. There are some weird & wonderful things living in very nasty (hot, poison-laden etc.) places which turn out to be ordinary deep down, but heavily modified for extreme toughness.

[Pancho]

its all a trick to get people not to believe in god.

How so? "Creator of all Worlds" covers pretty much all lifeforms and planets so far as I can tell.

[redshift]

Kinda depends what the rest of the structure is.  If it's bugs with an arsenic transplant, then they're probably relict archaea with a toxic environment and "ornery" dialled up to eleven. 

Yah.  Just think what it'll be like when they've evolved to the point of opposable psuedopodia...   

[Manotea]

"I've not been so excited about a bacteria since my STD tests came back clean"

Class!

"Once you broken the "unique" constraint, then there's no reason to not expect it all over the universe."

You mean aliens, um, people from other planets will not all have a head and two arms and two legs, speak english and be vaguely snoggable*?

*Excluding whatever ET was, obviously.

[border-rider]

Kinda depends what the rest of the structure is.  If it's bugs with an arsenic transplant, then they're probably relict archaea with a toxic environment and "ornery" dialled up to eleven. 

we need to hear what NASA say

If it's DNA with arsenic rather than phosphorus then that's a very interesting proposition; if it's the same stuff just with atoms swapped it raises some profound questions...

If it's different molecules entirely, just DNA-like, then it's life v2.0

[Wowbagger]

*Excluding whatever ET was, obviously.

ET stands for Experimental Teethgrinder.

[Jurek]

So have they arrived ?

I think you'll find we've been here for some time.
Just waiting until our spaceship is fixed.... 

[Kim]

Just waiting until our spaceship is fixed.... 

*curses Maplin and their poor stock control*

[andygates]

Kinda depends what the rest of the structure is.  If it's bugs with an arsenic transplant, then they're probably relict archaea with a toxic environment and "ornery" dialled up to eleven. 

Yah.  Just think what it'll be like when they've evolved to the point of opposable psuedopodia...   

But we're the ultimate badasses in our niche.  They can bring it.

(with thanks to Neal Stephenson)

[Rhys W]

It's not as spectacularly different as I first thought, apparently it only incorporates arsenic into its DNA when phosphorous is hard to come by.

Guardian science.

[Andrew Br]

So have they arrived ?

I think you'll find we've been here for some time.
Just waiting until our spaceship is fixed.... 

Let me guess, you're looking for some new mud-guards and panniers 

[jogler]

So have they arrived ?

I think you'll find we've been here for some time.
Just waiting until our spaceship is fixed.... 

Let me guess, you're looking for some new mud-guards and panniers 

or in need of some chain tugs