Life Found in Space

1. 0

   Sherlock221bposted 12 years ago

   NASA have examined a meteorite, which was created by a recent asteroid collision.  It has been found to contain living DNA, thus proving that life does exist outside of our planet.  This backs up the theory that life may have come to Earth with such a meteorite, and raises the possibility that life exists on other planets.

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2. 84

   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   It did not contain living DNA.  It contain small voids suggestive of bacteria--but hardly conclusive. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162- … 01465.html

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3. 0

   Sherlock221bposted 12 years ago

   I thought it contained amino acids, which are the building blocks of DNA.
   
   http://richarddawkins.net/articles/6425 … from-space

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4. 59

   Pandoras Boxposted 12 years ago

   Amino acids is what I read as well.

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5. 84

   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   Amino acids are chemicals found in DNA and hence most earthly grime and dust. It is rather hotly debated whether they were on that rock when it landed decades ago or got into it since then--but it is possible they were.  But still certainly not "living" or "DNA".

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6. 0

   Sherlock221bposted 12 years ago

   I think we may be talking about a different meteorite.  I remember the one which a few years ago, was held up as having evidence of life in it, although it turned out to be nothing of the kind.  The recent news item refers to another meteorite, which was recently created following an asteroid collision.

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7. 73

   lone77starposted 12 years ago

   Sherlock, if you're talking about the Richard Dawkins URL you supplied, then you missed the point.
   
   They're talking about the building blocks of DNA, not DNA itself.
   
   An experiment was performed in a laboratory several years ago in California where some simple hydrocarbons were sent in a projectile at the speed of a meteor crashing into the Earth. They found that the relatively simple chemicals had gained in complexity as a result of the collision.
   
   The amino acids on the asteroid might not have existed before the collision.
   
   So, it seems that certain chemicals -- the stuff of life -- will naturally seek greater complexity when bumped the right way. Pretty nice.
   
   This would tend to indicate that in God's beautiful universe, most terrestrial planets where liquid water exists will likely have some form of life. This is because all planets form by accretion from the nebular nursery dust and gas. In other words, they get bombarded millions of times with millions of opportunities for increased chemical complexity. The number of planets in our own galaxy with complex, multi-cellular lifeforms likely stands in the millions, if not billions.

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8. 61

   Jonesy0311posted 12 years ago

   Even if we are talking about amino acids and not full-fledged DNA, it occurs to me that this somewhat substantiates the "panspermia" theory. Add this to the bacteria found on earth that can substitute arsenic for carbon and we begin to see two things: life outside Earth is possible and life as we know it may not be the only game in town.

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   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   It is consistent with that theory, but there are other explanations.

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