Tag: Life

A New Life!

We are always on the look out for a new form of life to which we can extend our dominion over…….and so the scientist search and search and look and look….and all their hard work has found a……you guessed it!….A new life  form!

Leave it to the Rocket Scientists at NASA……..

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.

That would distinguish it from every other form of life known to man, all of which, no matter how diverse, is comprised of the same six elements, phosphorus, sulfur, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. But the bacteria found in Mono Lake–which is known for its unusual chemistry, including very high levels of salinity, alkalinity, and arsenic–is made partly of arsenic, and has no phosphorus in its DNA.

NASA feels that this discovery is important because it will help scientists with many areas of future research, such as the “study of Earth’s evolution, organic chemistry, biogeochemical cycles, disease mitigation, and Earth system research. These findings also will open up new frontiers in microbiology and other areas of research.” 

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20024450-52.html#ixzz16zQOlMBr

A new life form?  How long will it take man to screw up this find?  On a more positive side….there is the possibility of new members for the Tea Party…..or some preacher to give this some sort of religious overtones?  (and you thought I could not make this into some political statement….HA!  Ye of little faith!)

Looking For A Martian Brother

Scientists have discovered that Martian soil is rich in nutrients.

NASA researchers want to determine whether the planet could support, or ever has supported, life. The nutrients are among a few positive indicators they have gleaned since the Phoenix Mars Lander began collecting and testing soil samples last month. Early findings, including ice crystals and nutrients, point toward water — the chemical basis for life.

NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander began its first wet chemistry experiment on Martian soil this week. NASA said the experiment went “flawlessly” and produced data that, for Phoenix scientists, “was like winning the lottery.” On Friday, some work remained before the first wet-chemical analysis was complete. This is the first such experiment done on any planet other than Earth would be complete, according to Phoenix co-investigator Sam Kounaves of Tufts University, who serves as the science lead for the wet chemistry research.

Kounaves said the soil appears similar to that found in Antarctica’s dry upper valleys and the salts it contains are another indication of the presence of water.

The soil about one-inch into the surface layer is alkaline, with a pH between eight and nine, and it appears to contain magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride, according to Kouvanes.

A Religious Rant

I have no problem with people of faith.  I have no problem with their faith, whatever it may be.  religion is a personal thing and as such should remain between the person and their God.  But in the past years I have witnessed all sorts of religious activism, some I can understand and some I cannot.

The “Support Life” is one that makes little sense.  I understand that some people are against abortions, which is cool, but these same people are the staunchest supports of war.  Does that mean that life is important until you come out of the womb and then you are just another statistic?

Where does one draw the line in support of life?  You either support all life or you do not. but to turn it into a political issue is just stupid!  ALL life is important and not an issue for candidates to threw out there to gain votes.  If you like pandering then that is your bag, but I want real issues that concern real Americans.