homehome Home chatchat Notifications


NASA scientists find evidence of life in meteorites

Wherever it’s possible, life finds a way; the old saying seems to be more and more actual these days, with NASA and other space agencies reporting interesting discoveries that point towards life existing in many more other places other than our own planet. After rewriting the biology books with the arsenic eating microbe, NASA researchers […]

Mihai Andrei
March 6, 2011 @ 3:04 pm

share Share

Wherever it’s possible, life finds a way; the old saying seems to be more and more actual these days, with NASA and other space agencies reporting interesting discoveries that point towards life existing in many more other places other than our own planet. After rewriting the biology books with the arsenic eating microbe, NASA researchers claim to have found evidence of fossilized bacteria in meteorites that landed on Earth.

Dr Richard Hoover, an astrobiologist at the space agency’s Marshall Space Flight Centre in Alabama sparked the discussion after he said he found a bacteria in an extremely rare type of meteorite, of which only nine are currently known to us. He reported finding traces of nitrogen, which couldn’t have come from the rock sample, which absolutely lacked that particular element.

“I interpret it as indicating that life is more broadly distributed than restricted strictly to the planet Earth.”, he briefly said, igniting the imagination of numerous scientists and not only.

However, this is still a matter of certain debate, and an impressive number of experts have been called to shed more light on this findings. This discovery was published in the Journal of Cosmology; editor-in-chief Rudy Schild said:

“Given the controversial nature of his discovery we have invited 100 experts, and have issued a general invitation to over 5,000 scientists from the scientific community, to review the paper and to offer their critical analysis.”

Given the huge number of people involved, it will definitely stir up discussion throughout the scientific community, so we probably shouldn’t have too much to wait until we get more details on this matter.

share Share

For better or worse, machine learning is shaping biology research

Machine learning tools can increase the pace of biology research and open the door to new research questions, but the benefits don’t come without risks.

Sixty Years Ago, We Nearly Wiped Out Bed Bugs. Then, They Started Changing

Driven to the brink of extinction, bed bugs adapted—and now pesticides are almost useless against them.

These "Ants" Use Ultrablack to Warn Predators — and Stay Cool

Velvet ants, actually flightless wasps, boast an ultrablack exoskeleton thanks to dense nanostructures.

Scientists Call for a Global Pause on Creating “Mirror Life” Before It’s Too Late: “The threat we’re talking about is unprecedented”

Creating synthetic lifeforms is almost here, and the consequences could be devastating.

This Hornet Can Drink 80% Alcohol Without Ever Getting Drunk and Scientists Finally Know Why

Oriental hornets never get intoxicated with alcohol no matter how strong the alcohol or how long they drink.

This Tiny Microbe Can Withstand Extreme Radiation That Would Obliterate Humans. Here's How It Might Protect Astronauts on a Trip to Mars

Could a humble bacterium hold the key to surviving cosmic radiation?

The heart may have its own "mini-brain": a nervous system that controls heartbeat

Somewhere within the heart, there may be a "little brain".

Crocodile Scales Form in a Surprising Way That Has Nothing to Do with Genetics

The surprising way crocodile scales form offers a glimpse into how evolution works beyond genes.

Trained Dogs Can Sniff Out Canine Bladder Cancer with Impressive Accuracy

Dogs have been successfully trained to detect one of the most common dog cancers with 92% specificity.

9,000-year-old non-stick trays was used to make Neolithic focaccia

Husking trays not only baked bread but also fostered human connection across an area spanning 2,000 km (~1,243 miles)