It's always interesting how information pops up when you start thinking about a subject. I wrote a post recently A Universe Full Of Strange looking Aliens. In this I told of how, perhaps, aliens could be completely different to us and 'may well breathe gases we consider to be poisonous or be living happily in great cold or scolding heat or in strong acids.'
I read today that scientists have found an arsenic eating life form not in space or on another planet but right here on Earth.
This 'alien' style life form has been found in a Californian lake. It's a bacteria, but the unusual thing is that the bug has the ability to thrive on arsenic, one of the most toxic elements on our planet. Seemingly it can incorporate arsenic into it's DNA, thus making it part of its living being.
Scientists are getting their knickers in a twist about this as, if one alien life form exists, it's likely there are others.
Dr. Felisa Wolfe-Simon of Arizona State University said, "Our findings are a reminder that life as we know it could be much more flexible than we assume or imagine. If something on Earth can do something so unexpected, what else can life do?
Exactly!
The bacteria that has been discovered, CFAJ-1, were found in the arsenic ridden Mono Lake. They can live like any normal life form but when necessary can switch to another mode of life which relies on arsenic.
So if we take (1) an arsenic eating life form and (2) the thought that there are many more stars than previously believed - perhaps three septillion (a three followed by 24 zeroes) then there must surely be life forms out there, with the likelihood that they are completely different to us.
Wonder if all of this is a drip, drip of information building us up to one great big hit as life on another planet is revealed?
Also read:
A Universe Full Of Strange looking Aliens
Knowledge Learned from Fish Like Aliens
War Of The Worlds Remnants Are On The Moon
It seems to be preparing us for something, right? I found this story fascinating. NASA even held a big press conference about it.
ReplyDeletenever looked at this way that there is a drip drip of info being released. makes sense. they couldnt hit the population with some possibly scary stuff without us being softened up first.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't seen anything about this before, it sounds so interesting. It also must open our minds more as to the possibilities this suggests. Nice one, Mike!
ReplyDeleteMono Lake is a very weird place. I'm not surprised there is something in there that can live on arsenic. But with all the sightings of UFO's, the are talking about bacteria?
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