This is certainly one of the more interesting science tidbits I’ve seen in the news lately. A panel of scientists has recommended that we expand our search for extraterrestrial life to include “weird” life forms based on other elements than carbon and water:
A panel of scientists convened by America’s leading scientific advisory group says the hunt for extraterrestrial life should be greatly expanded to include what they call “weird life”: organisms that lack DNA or other molecules found in life as we know it.“The committee’s investigation makes clear that life is possible in forms different from those on Earth,” the scientists conclude in their report, “The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems,” published by the National Research Council.
Other experts hailed the report as an important rethinking of the search for life. “It’s going to help us a lot to make sure we go exploring with our eyes wide open,” said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars exploration program.
Starfish, sequoias, salamanders and the rest of Earth’s residents may seem very diverse, but they are surprisingly similar on the molecular scale. All species that scientists have studied need liquid water to survive, for example. Further, they all rely on DNA to carry genetic information, and they all use that information to build proteins from the same set of building blocks, known as amino acids.
NASA has long looked to life on Earth to guide its search for life on other worlds. Planets and moons that have hints of liquid water have been ranked high on the list of potential sites for life-detection missions.
But there is good reason to suspect that other kinds of chemistry could support life as well, the authors of the new report argue. Weird life could differ from life as we know it in small or big ways.
Fascinating. When scientists say that “Weird life could differ from life as we know it,” are they talking about life like this?
(NSFW)
Aside from being just plain weird, I don’t think these guys qualify for being truly “weird” – as in being based on some other substance besides carbon, although that fella in the middle could very well meet that definition. I wonder what that great, big protuberance is made of? Could it be silicone? Maybe silly putty?
Further investigation is certainly warranted, dontchya think?
How about this for weird?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but is jello an element? I don’t rightly recall from my chemistry classes in high school if it is but if not, perhaps scientists should take a second look at it. It sure seems to have spawned some interesting life here.
By elvenstar522 at 2007-07-09
It may be that we should be looking for alien life disguised as humans. After all, what with all these flying saucers and things scooting around all over the earth and crashing willy nilly, you just never know if some of these aliens haven’t had to adopt a human (or nearly human) form in order to survive.
Intelligence is another question, obviously. Especially when viewing the lowest forms of life:
By elvenstar522 at 2007-07-09
Obviously, leeches, slugs, and other slimy things exist here on earth already. But looking at this kind of “weird” life, one begins to wonder if other planets have this kind of problem as well.
Perhaps if they do evolution handles it and prevents these slugs from having any children thus keeping the gene pool relatively disease free. Wish we could do the same thing.
NOTE: The picture that was previously displayed directly above was a photoshop job. Code Pink did not march down a street with a great big sign that said “We Support The Murder Of The American Troops.” The photo was a fake and I apologize to readers for not making that clear.
Then again, what does it say about Code Pink that I saw no reason why they couldn’t have marched down the street with such a sign? Seemed real to me as I’m sure it did to many readers.
12:06 pm
For these individuals the phrase you are looking for is: “Beam me up, Scotty. There is no intelligent life down here.”
If you want to hear my thoughts on the ‘not life as we commonly conceive it’, that is a fascinating topic on its own… but the above definitely fits for what we are seeing these days.
12:43 pm
Dammit Rick!
Post a warning next time you add pictures like those. Some of us just got done eating lunch!
2:46 pm
The best thing about stereotypes is that they help me preserve brain power by pre-categorizing everything for me. Thus, when I hear the category, I don’t have to think about whether or not I hate the people in it. It’s automatic. Lesbians? Check. Gay guys? Check. Fat chicks? DOUBLE Check.
You forgot to post pictures of negros eating watermelon and Mexicans mowing your yard though.
4:39 pm
tHePeOPle on stereotyping
You bet, and Rick also left out the cousin-marryin’ NASCAR fans, conservative Christians forcin’ theyselves on America, and Confederate flagwavin’ Jew-haters.
Oh, sorry. The left would NEVER sink to stereotyping ANYONE, would you?
10:18 am
I resent that. I loath both sides in mostly equal proportions.
One of the things I love most about the current national discourse is the fact that one side doing something awful is used as justification for the other side doing something awful.
Perhaps those on the right should rise above those on the left, eh? Instead of always saying, well, the left does it too! Or even better, Clinton did it too! You could maybe say, we’ll never stoop to your level! We will restore honesty and dignity to [government office]! The temptation is probably pretty strong to be awful though, so I completely understand.
Also, nice work on the comeback.
12:34 pm
Dude, you brought up non-thinking stereotyping AND watermelon eating and lawn mowing minorities. If you think that is taking a high road, think again. You can’t roll in the mud and them complain about muddy people.
If pointing out that both left and right use stereotyping implies endorsement of sterotyping by either side to you, you understand logic and discourse not at all.
1:06 pm
I was just pointing out MY love of stereotypes. I was pointing out that it takes the guesswork out of MY life and facilitates easy decision making for ME. You attached the left/right labels. I mean, come on, they’re stereotypes for a reason, right? And yes, I understand that this makes me a bad person.
Anyhoo, since my logic skills are admittedly lacking; how does the use of stereotyping NOT imply the endorsement of stereotyping?
5:07 pm
What does it say about you that you fell for such an obviously doctored image?
7:01 pm
Gus,
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
10:50 pm
I see no reason why Rick Moran couldn’t march down the street with a sign that says “I torture puppies”
What exactly does that say about Rick Moran? I thought it was real.
11:01 pm
Never mind the obvious problem with your take on being fooled by the photoshopped pic, you should ask yourself why a grown man sits and types insults of perfect strangers based on their appearance. You should be ashamed of yourself.
1:55 am
Fake but Accurate Depiction of Code Pink…
There’s a debate going on at a sad little leftist blog about the difference between Dan Rather’s ‘fake but accurate’ news and the ‘fake but accurate’ photoshop below. Talk about parsing words, they are do…