Other than the fact that this is the first time we have seen a life form that uses arsenic as a chemical building block, why is this important? Is there something about arsenic that is so incompatible with other forms of life that it would seem to be impossible to do this? * -- Russ Abbott _____________________________________________* * Professor, Computer Science California State University, Los Angeles
Google voice: 424-235-5752 (424-cell-rja) blog: http://russabbott.blogspot.com/ vita: http://sites.google.com/site/russabbott/ _____________________________________________* On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 11:25 AM, glen e. p. ropella <[email protected]>wrote: > > I presume most of you've seen this already, but just in case: > > > http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/astrobiology_toxic_chemical.html > > "Researchers conducting tests in the harsh environment of Mono Lake in > California have discovered the first known microorganism on Earth able > to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. The > microorganism substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in its cell components." > > -- > glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://tempusdictum.com > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org >
============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
