NASA scientists discover all-new form of life

Kassz007 · Dec 2, 2010

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20024450-52.html

"In a press conference held at NASA's Washington D.C. headquarters, scientists announced that they had discovered a new form of bacteria, known as GFAJ-1, in California's Mono Lake that has DNA completely foreign to anything ever before found on Earth. It substitutes arsenic at the DNA level for phosphorus."

ChkitOut · Dec 2, 2010

At least we now know what NOT to poison any visiting aliens with.

shortie · Dec 2, 2010

Quote from ChkitOut:

At least we now know what NOT to poison any visiting aliens with.

looks like this is in essence a new variety of DNA. this is a major discovery. still this bacteria is basically DNA-based although they will probably call it something else (Arseno-DNA?).

Wayne Gibbous · Dec 3, 2010

Fascinating area. It's only a few hours away.

Great drive (395 North). The desert, then Whitney Portal, Mammoth, Mono, Yosemite, Tahoe, Reno, Lassen... lots to see.

Kassz007 · Dec 3, 2010

Quote from Wayne Gibbous:

Fascinating area. It's only a few hours away.

Great drive (395 North). The desert, then Whitney Portal, Mammoth, Mono, Yosemite, Tahoe, Reno, Lassen... lots to see.

Gorgeous

nutmeg · Dec 3, 2010

I guess we can forget about going to Mars, if NASA only got as far as California.

fhl · Dec 7, 2010

bogus claim

again

http://www.slate.com/id/2276919

shortie · Dec 7, 2010

Quote from shortie:

looks like this is in essence a new variety of DNA. this is a major discovery. still this bacteria is basically DNA-based although they will probably call it something else (Arseno-DNA?).

Quote from fhl:

bogus claim

again

http://www.slate.com/id/2276919

thanks for the update. after reading some of the critics it does look like the study could end up in the garbage bin. Arseno-DNA may not exist at all. they should have been able to grow enough bacteria to get enough genetic material for direct analysis of DNA. maybe they were in a hurry to publish.

MTE · Dec 8, 2010

Quote from nutmeg:

I guess we can forget about going to Mars, if NASA only got as far as California.

Good one!

acronym · Dec 8, 2010

Quote from Wayne Gibbous:

Fascinating area. It's only a few hours away.

Great drive (395 North). The desert, then Whitney Portal, Mammoth, Mono, Yosemite, Tahoe, Reno, Lassen... lots to see.

Beautiful, but......is the guy standing on the rock in the second pick taking a whizz in the lake? Sure looks that way.

"Beautiful one day......whizzed in the next."