Aliens!

Promac

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212000/are_the_aliens_coming_nasa_to_hold_press_conference_on_major_astrobiology_discovery.html

We humans have searched for evidence of extraterrestrial life for as long as we've been looking at the stars. That ages-old search might have finally turned up something big. On Thursday, December 2, several NASA astrobiologists will announce results “that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life”. What does that mean? Judging by the research interests of the scientists involved in the upcoming announcement, our guess is that this astrobiological discovery will have something to do with water, evolutionary biology, and aquatic bacteria.

Richard tea

Promac wrote: »

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212000/are_the_aliens_coming_nasa_to_hold_press_conference_on_major_astrobiology_discovery.html

If it doesnt shoot lazers with its gun I aint interested. Bacteria is crap.:(

KeithM89_old

Everyone laughed at me when i built that nuclear bunker. Now whose laughing...

AnonoBoy

Ah they'll have found protein or plankton on another planet.

Nothing that's going to lay eggs down your throat and burst through your chest or be a really hot chick who wants to ride everyone or a cute little squashed up midget with a light-up finger.

Nothing cool in other words.

chicken fingers

philistines

Sticky_Fingers

Excellent, another NASA announcement to get us all excited like their "exceptional object in our cosmic neighbourhood" snorefest from a few weeks ago.

Nodin

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Ah they'll have found protein or plankton on another planet.

Nothing that's going to lay eggs down your throat and burst through your chest or be a really hot chick who wants to ride everyone or a cute little squashed up midget with a light-up finger.

Nothing cool in other words.

If the latter two breed, it'll be like a German porno crossed with a horror movie....

AnonoBoy

Nodin wrote: »

If the latter two breed, it'll be like a German porno crossed with a horror movie....

PM sent.

bonzodog2

Let me guess, you have that movie ?

admiralofthefleet

NAKK NAKK NAKK

FreudianSlippers

Mary Voytek, director, Astrobiology Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington

Felisa Wolfe-Simon, NASA astrobiology research fellow, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, Calif.

Pamela Conrad, astrobiologist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Steven Benner, distinguished fellow, Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Gainesville, Fla.

James Elser, professor, Arizona State University, Tempe

AnonoBoy

bonzodog2 wrote: »

Let me guess, you have that movie ?

That would be the gist of the joke yes.

Unfortunately for you though, I don't actually have the movie (if such a thing exists). Sorry to disappoint - you can stop PMing me now guys!

anathem

Nodin wrote: »

If the latter two breed, it'll be like a German porno crossed with a horror movie....

It's porn, Nodin, but not as we know it.

FreudianSlippers

After the last NASA announcement I wouldn't get my hopes up.

My guess is that they'll discuss the findings of the Cassini probe - which just discovered that Saturn's moon Rhea is rich in oxygen, which is unheard of before and has massive implications on astrobiology.

citizen_p

my guess is a single celled organism


basically a germ, ie. NOT an advanced race with spaceships, anal probes, and a fascination with mowing fields of wheat in strange patterns.

also the thing better not understand english......like every fooking sci fi series/ film going.
stargate, all planets and people speak english because they all came from earth. FFS they dont even speak english all over the earth. also the fact they ony visit one little village on each planet to sum up its entire culture grrrr

/continues off topic rant

chin_grin

Mousey- wrote: »

my guess is a single celled organism


basically a germ, ie. NOT an advanced race with spaceships, anal probes,

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! <puts back on trousers>

FreudianSlippers

io9 wrote:

NASA is bringing together a geologist, an oceanographer, a biologist, and an ecologist for a press conference on Thursday to talk about an astrobiology discovery that "will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life." Yeah, this could be major.

Blogger Jason Kottke did some inspired sleuthing regarding what Thursday's press conference might be about. He discovered the expertises of the various people involved include the interaction of geology and life on alien planets (specifically Mars), photosynthesis using arsenic, Saturn's moon Titan as an early Earth environment, and the chemistry of life, including in places without carbon, water, or oxygen.

Taking that all together and combined with the current blitz of news from NASA's Cassini probe around Saturn, Kottke guesses the announcement might have something to do with the discovery of arsenic on Titan and, quite possibly, some primitive bacterial form of life using it for photosynthesis.

Considering NASA's claim that this will impact our search for alien life, I'd have to figure this has something to do with expanding the definition of "life as we know it", suggesting more elements than we previously thought possible can be used as the raw materials for life. All this, of course, is just speculation - we'll be listening in to the press conference on Thursday and have the news for you as it breaks.

"will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life" probably definitely means they have not yet found extraterrestrial life.

Terry

My lodger just creamed himself.
He had just stated that this is proof of the alien bases on the dark side of the Moon.

FreudianSlippers

Terry wrote: »

My lodger just creamed himself.
He had just stated that this is proof of the alien bases on the dark side of the Moon.

I was just reading about that on Above Top Secret.

iamstop

why is it on a PC World website?

smk89

I wonder if these aliens have heard about Jesus?

Mint Sauce

Always prefered 'Alien' my self.

old_aussie

Nodin wrote: »

If the latter two breed, it'll be like a German porno crossed with a horror movie....

How would you know anything about that?:rolleyes:

JONJO THE MISER

Am :eek: sorry rescue me is just about to start.

iamstop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YskhRbGPt2k

Sticky_Fingers

Terry wrote: »

My lodger just creamed himself.
He had just stated that this is proof of the alien bases on the dark side of the Moon.

What you should do Terry is reluctantly agree and tell him that someone posted a link on the NASA message boards to leaked documents but the thread was taken down by a mod because it was unsubstantiated (or they are undercover NWO shills, whatever he is more likely to believe). I bet the guy will go mental looking for the illusive document while you sit back and enjoy the show.

Just imagine the look on his face when NASA announce they have only discovered that microscopic life may be possible on Titan, the poor fella will be crestfallen:p

Promac

I'll be surprised if it isn't the presence of carbon dioxide on titan (implying some kind of metabolism) and I'd be amazed if it was some kind of actual life.

It's clearly not going to be anything intelligent or it wouldn't be on a PC world website about about being announced by NASA.

FreudianSlippers

Promac wrote: »

I'll be surprised if it isn't the presence of carbon dioxide on titan (implying some kind of metabolism) and I'd be amazed if it was some kind of actual life.

It's clearly not going to be anything intelligent or it wouldn't be on a PC world website about about being announced by NASA.

Doubt that. Oxygen on Rhea and Arsenic on Titan are much bigger deals.

Promac

titan/rhea - these things all look the same to me.

But isn't CO2 more interesting than O2? O2 would mean we could potentially go there and have something to breathe but CO2 would imply something is already doing it.

bonerm

This news is going to mean massive competition for jobs in the service industry and public sector.

Duggy747

bonerm wrote: »

This news is going to mean massive competition for jobs in the service industry and public sector.

Then I'm emigrating to space if there's jobs out there.

danniemcq

iamstop wrote: »

why is it on a PC World website?

Viral ad for new Alienware PC?

danniemcq

Wait i think i read somewhere yesterday or had a really weird dream last night that they have found an atmosphere on one of Saturns moons (second largest would google but lazy) that has oxygen and Co2 but the oxygen level is 5 trillion times less than here on earth but it's still something.

it may have been yesterdays Independent (not the ****e irish one the English one)

Oops after reading over thread again instead of skimming its what OisinT said i'm sure

sbsquarepants

Jesus, hold the front page! Somebody really needs to sit nasa down and explain the meaning of the word exciting to them! I do not want to be disturbed by any of this alien nonsense unless it either has a ray gun, is a giant lizard, or looks like the lady aliens in V (new or old version).
Germs? Pfft, my soap pump is covered in them (apparently)

FreudianSlippers

Promac wrote: »

titan/rhea - these things all look the same to me.

But isn't CO2 more interesting than O2? O2 would mean we could potentially go there and have something to breathe but CO2 would imply something is already doing it.

Not necessarily, CO2 can be found via carbonate dissolution from volcanoes or geothermal activity.

For example, Venus has an atmosphere that is almost entirely CO2.

FreudianSlippers

danniemcq wrote: »

Wait i think i read somewhere yesterday or had a really weird dream last night that they have found an atmosphere on one of Saturns moons (second largest would google but lazy) that has oxygen and Co2 but the oxygen level is 5 trillion times less than here on earth but it's still something.

it may have been yesterdays Independent (not the ****e irish one the English one)

Oops after reading over thread again instead of skimming its what OisinT said i'm sure

Well, one thing that means it may not be Rhea is that it's nothing new really.
Two Jovian moons, Europa and Ganymede, also have rich O2 and CO2 atmospheres - much more so than Rhea even.

Why is this a big deal? Well, all 3 of these moons are covered in a fairly thick layer of ice, but it is thought there may be water (liquid) underneath. O2 presence means that there is a possibility that there is life under that water.

It's also significant because we've now found 3 moons in our solar system with O2, CO2 and H2O (frozen). These are the building block of our carbon-based life - it means the possibilities for evolution of any life on some planet or moon in our Galaxy is almost certain (not to mention our Universe).

Angron

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Jesus, hold the front page! Somebody really needs to sit nasa down and explain the meaning of the word exciting to them! I do not want to be disturbed by any of this alien nonsense unless it either has a ray gun, is a giant lizard, or looks like the lady aliens in V (new or old version).
Germs? Pfft, my soap pump is covered in them (apparently)

Off topic, but that ad annoys the crap out of me. You're about to clean your hands anyway, what does germs on the pumps even matter!

Anyway, if there is even a chance of finding anything, NASA would jump on it I spose.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

germs , yeah right
how about trees

http://piglipstick.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-there-life-on-mars-conspiracy.html

Son Of A Vidic

Promac wrote: »

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212000/are_the_aliens_coming_nasa_to_hold_press_conference_on_major_astrobiology_discovery.html

Finally something with more intelligence we all can vote for.

Lightshow

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Jesus, hold the front page! Somebody really needs to sit nasa down and explain the meaning of the word exciting to them! I do not want to be disturbed by any of this alien nonsense unless it either has a ray gun, is a giant lizard, or looks like the lady aliens in V (new or old version).
Germs? Pfft, my soap pump is covered in them (apparently)

Brilliant!

Nasa need to claim that ANY news from them is exciting to cover for the fact that their funding has been decimated. Shuttle's being decommissioned, no replacement in sight, no plans for further manned exploration. No excitement.

FreudianSlippers

1. Pamela Conrad (a geobiologist) was the primary author of a 2009 paper on geology and life on Mars

2. Felisa Wolfe-Simon (an oceanographer) has written extensively on photosynthesis using arsenic recently (she worked on the team mentioned in this article)

3. Steven Benner (a biologist) is on the "Titan Team" at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; they're looking at Titan (Saturn's largest moon) as an early-Earth-like chemical environment. This is likely related to the Cassini mission.

4. James Elser (an ecologist) is involved with a NASA-funded astrobiology program called Follow the Elements, which emphasizes looking at the chemistry of environments where life evolves (and not just looking at water or carbon or oxygen).

PeterIanStaker

bonzodog2 wrote: »

Let me guess, you have that movie ?

Rule 34, dude:cool:

Sea Sharp

It'll be some over excited geek standing up to say they've found evidence to say that 'maybe' the chemicals needed for life have been found on a comet.

/Cue massive bitch slap across his face from somebody in the press room.

FreudianSlippers

Sea Sharp wrote: »

It'll be some over excited geek standing up to say they've found evidence to say that 'maybe' the chemicals needed for life have been found on a comet.

/Cue massive bitch slap across his face from somebody in the press room.

it's definitely not this, sorry.

Standard Toaster

http://gizmodo.com/5704158/

'Alien' life-form discovered here on Earth, its DNA unlike anything ever seen.

NASA Finds New Life
Hours before their special news conference today, the cat is out of the bag: NASA has discovered a completely new life form that doesn't share the biological building blocks of anything currently living in planet Earth. This changes everything.
At their conference today, NASA scientist Felisa Wolfe Simon will announce that they have found a bacteria whose DNA is completely alien to what we know today. While she and other scientists theorized that this could be possible, this is the first time that this has been confirmed. Instead of using phosphorus, the bacteria uses arsenic. All life on Earth is made of six components: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Every being, from the smallest amoeba to the largest whale, share the same life stream. Our DNA blocks are all the same.
But not this one. This one is completely different. Discovered in the poisonous Mono Lake, California, this bacteria is made of arsenic, something that was thought to be completely impossible. The implications of this discovery are enormous to our understanding of life itself and the possibility of finding beings in other planets that don't have to be like planet Earth.
No details have been disclosed about the origin or nature of this new life form. We will know more today at 2pm EST but, while this life hasn't been found in another planet, this discovery does indeed change everything we know about biology. I don't know about you, but I've not been so excited about a bacteria since my STD tests came back clean. [NOS—In Dutch]

Pretty cool, re-writing-biology-books kinda stuff.

ps
I, for one, welcome our new arsenic-based overlords etc etc etc

MingulayJohnny

It's dry stuff. Ask the Dogon in Africa or the Navajo nation in America about our cousins from the stars. Microbes don't seem that startling to me. It's tragic how they can spend billions on probes and missions that could have been better used elsewhere when another arm of the government has been aware of advanced races for decades:rolleyes:.

aidan_walsh

Microbes don't seem that startling to me.

Come back and say that the next time you're complaining of one of about 10 billion illnesses.

RonMexico

Aliens that can thrive in toxic environments?



Maybe NASA will announce that the vaults in Anglo are actually supermassive black holes and Seanie Fitz is a space-alien.

Setun

I always found it strange when people used the presence of oxygen on other planets as a potential indicator for extraterretrial life. Is it not an obvious possibility that an alien race might ****ing hate oxygen, but love a bit of poisonous gas or something instead? Basically that just because life has evolved a particular way to require a certain amount of elements on earth doesn't mean it should be the same on Rhea/Mars etc?

Disclaimer: I am not a scientist.

SugarHigh

Phosphorus, along with hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, make up the fundamental building blocks of life as we know it. Wolfe-Simon has discovered a bacteria that swaps out phosphorus with arsenic. The discovery that a life form can be comprised of something other than the six fundamental building blocks of life changes everything.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/eureka/article7040864.ece
This really opens up the search for alien life because you are no longer limited by planets which contain the traditional building blocks of life.

NASA are holding a press conference at some stage today to release more details.

Nice one.