NASA finds alien life. Welcome to Earf.

[The]

NASA Finds New Life (Updated with Pictures) (http://gizmodo.com/5704158/nasa-finds-new-life)

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/12/500x_newlife.jpg (http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/12/newlife.jpg)Hours before their special news conference today, the cat is out of the bag: NASA has discovered a completely new life form that doesn't share the biological building blocks of anything currently living in planet Earth. This changes everything. Updated.
At their conference today (http://gizmodo.com/5702124/did-nasa-discover-life-on-one-of-saturns-moons), 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.
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/12/500x_newlife-bacteriaphoto.jpg (http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/12/newlife-bacteriaphoto.jpg)The new life forms up close, at five micrometers.
But not this one. This one is completely different. We knew that there were microorganisms that processed (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7558448.stm) arsenic, but this bacteria—discovered in the poisonous Mono Lake, California—is actually made of arsenic, with phosphorus absent from its DNA. 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.
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/12/500x_bacteria-wolfesimon3hr.jpg (http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/12/bacteria-wolfesimon3hr.jpg)Even closer, showing their internal structure.
No details have been disclosed about the origin or nature of this new life form. We will know more today at 2pm EST but, while this life hasn't been found in another planet, this discovery does indeed change everything we know about biology. I don't know about you but I've not been so excited about a bacteria since my STD tests came back clean. And that's without counting yesterday's announcement on the discovery of a massive number of red dwarf stars, which may harbor a trillion Earths, dramatically increasing our chances of finding extraterrestrial life (http://gizmodo.com/5703835/the-probability-of-finding-aliens-is-now-three-times-higher).

[Fraggle145]

:pop:

[The]

:pop:

Thank you for your addition to the conversation.

[Ike]

It's pretty neato.


And it's yet another data point showing that all of NASA's really interesting research gets done without astronauts.

[saucysoonergal]

Next up Old Lace lifeforms.

[The]

It's pretty neato.


And it's yet another data point showing that all of NASA's really interesting research gets done without astronauts.

They are godless heathens probing where man was not meant to go.

Socialist money wasters, if'n you'rt to ask me.

[usaosooner]

sweet

[Fraggle145]

Thank you for your addition to the conversation.

That meant I was looking it up trying to find the actual research article.

Pretty cool. Using Arsenic in DNA. Blows my mind. Evolution/natural selection as it is happening. Pretty cool adaptation.

[OhU1]

The NASA "moon landing" was shot and staged on a back lot in Hollywood in the 60's and now they want us to believe in this "arsenic bug". There's one born every minute...... Please. :rolleyes:

[soonerboy_odanorth]

Ok. But if it's hostile do we have a way to kill it yet?



















:D

[The]

That meant I was looking it up trying to find the actual research article.

Pretty cool. Using Arsenic in DNA. Blows my mind. Evolution/natural selection as it is happening. Pretty cool adaptation.

What, a Gawker story written for the lowest common denominator isn't good enough for you?
What are you, some sort of ELITIST????

[Fraggle145]

I'm a scientist. :D

[The]

I'm a scientist. :D

You should find Jesus and join the rest of us REAL MURIKANS.

[SoonerJack]

Chief NASA dude/dudette learning of this news:

"They found it WHERE?"

[tommieharris91]

That meant I was looking it up trying to find the actual research article.

Pretty cool. Using Arsenic in DNA. Blows my mind. Evolution/natural selection as it is happening. Pretty cool adaptation.

But the earth is only 6000 years old though. How could we have evolved from other critrs?

[The]

But the earth is only 6000 years old though. How could we have evolved from other critrs?

This.
http://www.thomas-galvin.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/jesus_dinosaur.jpg

[GKeeper316]

if only this news would make the christians heads explode... literally.

[picasso]

if only this news would make the christians heads explode... literally.

You're so full of love and acceptance aren't you?

[yankee]

if only this news would make the christians heads explode... literally.

why would you want that?

[jumperstop]

So basically it's not alien...it's terrestrial.

[achiro]

if only this news would make the christians heads explode... literally.

See the funny thing is that the article basically says that the scientists don't know anything about how stuff works, they're just making **** up as they go along.

[GKeeper316]

See the funny thing is that the article basically says that the scientists don't know anything about how stuff works, they're just making **** up as they go along.

wow

[starclassic tama]

See the funny thing is that the article basically says that the scientists don't know anything about how stuff works, they're just making **** up as they go along.

no, you said that. the article says nothing of the sort.

after reading a bit more into this, it appears the scientists did a little modification to the organism. from what i understand, they found the bacteria, and removed most of the phosphorus and injected it with arsenic. so the bacteria wasn't actually based on arsenic when it was discovered, but it was able to survive with the arsenic and low levels of phosphorus which is a new discovery.

anybody want to elaborate? fraggle?

[SoonerBorn]

So basically it's not alien...it's terrestrial.

I guess it won't need to phone home then.

[The]

I guess it won't need to phone home then.

I was excited, then I noticed there was no J.

[Jammin']

I was excited, then I noticed there was no J.

it's pretty much all about the j

[The]

it's pretty much all about the j

Bjallen.

[AlboSooner]

So basically it's not alien...it's terrestrial.

Very terrestrial. There are actually many many species which we have yet to discover who live here on Earth. To me the 'wow' factor which everybody is happy about is that the microorganism grows in arsenic.

The fact the bacteria grow in extreme environments is nothing new in the scientific world.

It's really hard to get people excited about science so people will attach bombastic terms to scientific news.


Let me let you all in a little secret: many scientific principles or theories depends very much how many detractors you got, and how many scientists support your theory (not everybody has the money, knowledge and time to disprove your expressive and time-consuming experiment).

I remember that about five years ago transposons (jumping genes) were a sort of scientific fable, but lately I've read many publications refer to them as fact without any new research coming out.

[The]

bombastic
8Q0I1NDbEgE

[STUpendOUs]

well... at least we know where you came from now The(kk)

[The]

well... at least we know where you came from now The(kk)

What means that?

[STUpendOUs]

What means that?

I'll tell ya tomorrow...

[The]

Weirdo.

[STUpendOUs]

yeah but you'll be losing sleep tonight in anticipation of my answer...

[The]

Uh huh.

You don't think I have internet stalkers from websites all over? Out of all of them, you're the most boring.

[OUMallen]

Very terrestrial. There are actually many many species which we have yet to discover who live here on Earth. To me the 'wow' factor which everybody is happy about is that the microorganism grows in arsenic.

The fact the bacteria grow in extreme environments is nothing new in the scientific world.

It's really hard to get people excited about science so people will attach bombastic terms to scientific news.


Let me let you all in a little secret: many scientific principles or theories depends very much how many detractors you got, and how many scientists support your theory (not everybody has the money, knowledge and time to disprove your expressive and time-consuming experiment).

I remember that about five years ago transposons (jumping genes) were a sort of scientific fable, but lately I've read many publications refer to them as fact without any new research coming out.

Seems like there is some recent stuff. b/n 5 years ago a now. As recent as 2010:


^ McClintock, B. (June 1950). "The origin and behavior of mutable loci in maize". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 36 (6): 344–55. doi:10.1073/pnas.36.6.344. PMID 15430309.
^ "'Junk' DNA Has Important Role, Researchers Find". Science Daily. 21 May 2009.
^ Madigan M, Martinko J (editors) (2006). Brock Biology of Microorganisms (11th ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144329-1.
^ Spradling AC, Rubin GM (October 1982). "Transposition of cloned P elements into Drosophila germ line chromosomes". Science 218 (4570): 341–7. doi:10.1126/science.6289435. PMID 6289435.
^ Rubin GM, Spradling AC (October 1982). "Genetic transformation of Drosophila with transposable element vectors". Science 218 (4570): 348–53. doi:10.1126/science.6289436. PMID 6289436.
^ Cesari F (15 October 2007). "Milestones in Nature: Milestone 9: Transformers, Elements in Disguise". Nature. doi:10.1038/nrg2254.
^ Jacobson, J.W., Medhora, M.M. & Hartl, D.L. Molecular structure of a somatically unstable transposable element in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 83, 8684-8 (1986).
^ Lohe, A.R., Moriyama, E.N., Lidholm, D.A. & Hartl, D.L. Horizontal transmission, vertical inactivation, and stochastic loss of mariner-like transposable elements. Mol Biol Evol 12, 62-72 (1995).
^ Lampe, D.J., Witherspoon, D.J., Soto-Adames, F.N. & Robertson, H.M. Recent horizontal transfer of mellifera subfamily mariner transposons into insect lineages representing four different orders shows that selection acts only during horizontal transfer. Mol Biol Evol 20, 554-62 (2003).
^ Mandal, P.K. & Kazazian, H.H., Jr. SnapShot: Vertebrate transposons. Cell 135, 192-192 e1 (2008).
^ Kim JM, Vanguri S, Boeke JD, Gabriel A, Voytas DF (May 1998). "Transposable elements and genome organization: a comprehensive survey of retrotransposons revealed by the complete Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome sequence". Genome Res. 8 (5): 464–78. doi:10.1101/gr.8.5.464. PMID 9582191.
^ Paquin CE, Williamson VM (5 October 1984). "Temperature Effects on the Rate of Ty Transposition". Science 226 (4670): 53–5. doi:10.1126/science.226.4670.53. PMID 17815421.
^ Wei-Jen Chung,Katsutomo Okamura,Raquel Martin, Eric C. Lai (3 June 2008). "Endogenous RNA Interference Provides a Somatic Defense against Drosophila Transposons". Current Biology 18 (11): 795–802. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2008.05.006. PMID 18501606.
^ Dennis J. Strand, John F. McDonald (1985). "Copia is transcriptionally responsive to environmental stress". Nucleic Acids Research 13 (12): 4401–10. doi:10.1093/nar/13.12.4401. PMID 2409535. PMC 321795.
^ Kidwell, M.G. (1992). "Horizontal transfer of P elements and other short inverted repeat transposons". Genetica 86 (1): 275–286. doi:10.1007/BF00133726.
^ Luft FC (May 2010). "Sleeping Beauty jumps to new heights". Mol. Med 88 (7): 641–43. doi:10.1007/s00109-010-0626-1. PMID 20467721.
^ Wilson MH, Coates CJ, George AL (January 2007). "PiggyBac transposon-mediated gene transfer in human cells". Mol. Ther. 15 (1): 139–45. doi:10.1038/sj.mt.6300028. PMID 17164785.

[Fraggle145]

no, you said that. the article says nothing of the sort.

after reading a bit more into this, it appears the scientists did a little modification to the organism. from what i understand, they found the bacteria, and removed most of the phosphorus and injected it with arsenic. so the bacteria wasn't actually based on arsenic when it was discovered, but it was able to survive with the arsenic and low levels of phosphorus which is a new discovery.

anybody want to elaborate? fraggle?

They didnt inject the bacteria. They grew it in a culture with Arsenic - and trace contaminant levels of Phosphorus that are impossible to get rid of because of contaminants in other compounds that are required in the media. The Bacteria then used Arsenic as a replacement element in different molecules that before now have always needed phosphorus like proteins and DNA.

[STUpendOUs]

Uh huh.

You don't think I have internet stalkers from websites all over? Out of all of them, you're the most boring.

you like to flatter your self...

Crack whores and dumb redheads don't count...

[Jammin']

I like to flatter the hell out of myself on occasion.

note it.

[starclassic tama]

They didnt inject the bacteria. They grew it in a culture with Arsenic - and trace contaminant levels of Phosphorus that are impossible to get rid of because of contaminants in other compounds that are required in the media. The Bacteria then used Arsenic as a replacement element in different molecules that before now have always needed phosphorus like proteins and DNA.

nice... 'preshiatcha

[STUpendOUs]

I like to flatter the hell out of myself on occasion.

note it.

caught ya look'n you sick freak!

[AlboSooner]

Seems like there is some recent stuff. b/n 5 years ago a now. As recent as 2010:


^ McClintock, B. (June 1950). "The origin and behavior of mutable loci in maize". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 36 (6): 344–55. doi:10.1073/pnas.36.6.344. PMID 15430309.
^ "'Junk' DNA Has Important Role, Researchers Find". Science Daily. 21 May 2009.
^ Madigan M, Martinko J (editors) (2006). Brock Biology of Microorganisms (11th ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144329-1.
^ Spradling AC, Rubin GM (October 1982). "Transposition of cloned P elements into Drosophila germ line chromosomes". Science 218 (4570): 341–7. doi:10.1126/science.6289435. PMID 6289435.
^ Rubin GM, Spradling AC (October 1982). "Genetic transformation of Drosophila with transposable element vectors". Science 218 (4570): 348–53. doi:10.1126/science.6289436. PMID 6289436.
^ Cesari F (15 October 2007). "Milestones in Nature: Milestone 9: Transformers, Elements in Disguise". Nature. doi:10.1038/nrg2254.
^ Jacobson, J.W., Medhora, M.M. & Hartl, D.L. Molecular structure of a somatically unstable transposable element in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 83, 8684-8 (1986).
^ Lohe, A.R., Moriyama, E.N., Lidholm, D.A. & Hartl, D.L. Horizontal transmission, vertical inactivation, and stochastic loss of mariner-like transposable elements. Mol Biol Evol 12, 62-72 (1995).
^ Lampe, D.J., Witherspoon, D.J., Soto-Adames, F.N. & Robertson, H.M. Recent horizontal transfer of mellifera subfamily mariner transposons into insect lineages representing four different orders shows that selection acts only during horizontal transfer. Mol Biol Evol 20, 554-62 (2003).
^ Mandal, P.K. & Kazazian, H.H., Jr. SnapShot: Vertebrate transposons. Cell 135, 192-192 e1 (2008).
^ Kim JM, Vanguri S, Boeke JD, Gabriel A, Voytas DF (May 1998). "Transposable elements and genome organization: a comprehensive survey of retrotransposons revealed by the complete Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome sequence". Genome Res. 8 (5): 464–78. doi:10.1101/gr.8.5.464. PMID 9582191.
^ Paquin CE, Williamson VM (5 October 1984). "Temperature Effects on the Rate of Ty Transposition". Science 226 (4670): 53–5. doi:10.1126/science.226.4670.53. PMID 17815421.
^ Wei-Jen Chung,Katsutomo Okamura,Raquel Martin, Eric C. Lai (3 June 2008). "Endogenous RNA Interference Provides a Somatic Defense against Drosophila Transposons". Current Biology 18 (11): 795–802. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2008.05.006. PMID 18501606.
^ Dennis J. Strand, John F. McDonald (1985). "Copia is transcriptionally responsive to environmental stress". Nucleic Acids Research 13 (12): 4401–10. doi:10.1093/nar/13.12.4401. PMID 2409535. PMC 321795.
^ Kidwell, M.G. (1992). "Horizontal transfer of P elements and other short inverted repeat transposons". Genetica 86 (1): 275–286. doi:10.1007/BF00133726.
^ Luft FC (May 2010). "Sleeping Beauty jumps to new heights". Mol. Med 88 (7): 641–43. doi:10.1007/s00109-010-0626-1. PMID 20467721.
^ Wilson MH, Coates CJ, George AL (January 2007). "PiggyBac transposon-mediated gene transfer in human cells". Mol. Ther. 15 (1): 139–45. doi:10.1038/sj.mt.6300028. PMID 17164785.

Have you read any of these? I'd like a PDF of any new stuff which you think has proven the existence of transposons.

[Fraggle145]

Very terrestrial. There are actually many many species which we have yet to discover who live here on Earth. To me the 'wow' factor which everybody is happy about is that the microorganism grows in arsenic.

The fact the bacteria grow in extreme environments is nothing new in the scientific world.

It's really hard to get people excited about science so people will attach bombastic terms to scientific news.


Let me let you all in a little secret: many scientific principles or theories depends very much how many detractors you got, and how many scientists support your theory (not everybody has the money, knowledge and time to disprove your expressive and time-consuming experiment).

I remember that about five years ago transposons (jumping genes) were a sort of scientific fable, but lately I've read many publications refer to them as fact without any new research coming out.

There is lots of stuff regarding horizontal gene transfer between bacteria...

[Jammin']

caught ya look'n you sick freak!

You thought I wouldn't? Weird.


On Edit: I'm not allowed in whatever is your back alley board or somesuch, where I assume you keep all the good stuff and the stuff that maybe, isn't so good.

[Fraggle145]

Have you read any of these? I'd like a PDF of any new stuff which you think has proven the existence of transposons.

I havent read this one, but it is one of the most well cited...

Frigaard NU, Martinez A, Mincer TJ, DeLong EF (2006) Proteorhodopsin lateral gene transfer between marine planktonic bacteria and archaea. Nature 439: 847–850.

[achiro]

no, you said that. the article says nothing of the sort.
The hell you say![hairGel]


The implications of this discovery are enormous to our understanding of life itself


this discovery does indeed change everything we know about biology

[AlboSooner]

I havent read this one, but it is one of the most well cited...

Frigaard NU, Martinez A, Mincer TJ, DeLong EF (2006) Proteorhodopsin lateral gene transfer between marine planktonic bacteria and archaea. Nature 439: 847–850.
Sounds interesting. I will see if I can access it for free form a different location.

[Fraggle145]

Sounds interesting. I will see if I can access it for free form a different location.

If you cant find it I can get it for you send me a PM. Just messing around I looked up transposon on wiki, seems the concept has been around since '83. And they seemed to have a lot of good reference articles and links on there.

[afs]

:pop:

[GottaHavePride]

http://www.brameulaers.com/images/HILARITEIT/gifs/1045603222_WelcomeTaErf.gif

[Crucifax Autumn]

why would you want that?

Nothing against Christians, but it WOULD look pretty cool and freaky. ;)