The article discusses (http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/2c21c0f98d07b010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html) a peculiar "red rain" that fell on India a few years ago. Scientists are studying microbes found in the affected area that have unusual properties (e.g., lacking DNA). Are they extraterrestrial? If so, how much credence does that lend to panspermia theory? The researchers plan to publish their findings later in the year.

Interesting read.
But my guess is that its something native to Earth, but just undocumented until now.

I vaguely remember hearing about this. It's truly odd, but the idea it's ET is hard to swallow. Perhaps some bacteria has found a way to exist without DNA? I dunno, I wonder what Nydia has to say on this topic.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1723913,00.html

According to that one, the red rains continued on and off for two months.

edit: And WTF, now even the aliens are outsourcing to India?

Fildien and I were discussing this in another forum; he asked me to post my reply here. And as we all know, what Fildien wants, Fildien gets.

:D

Needless to say, I'm hugely skeptical of claims like this. The panspermia hypothesis makes lots of assumptions and offers almost nothing in the way of evidence. It's little more than supposition, really. And it doesn't actually explain anything, anyway; even if life on Earth did arrive from space, then how did life in space start? Panspermia doesn't offer an explanation for abiogenesis, it merely moves the phenomenon's location from the primordial soup of Eath to the cold and volitile surface of comets.

Not very satisfying as far as answers go.

However, it shouldn't be too hard to prove one way or the other. All life on Earth uses the same five base nucleotides (adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, and uracil). But there are almost 30 possible bases that could be used; it is unlikely in the extreme that alien life would use the same ones, or even the same number, as terrestrial life. So when they isolate whatever it is these organisims use to pass on genetic information (and my bet is firmly on good ol' terrestrial DNA) all they really need to look for is which base nucleotides are present. If it's A-C-G-T-U, the organisims are terrestrial. If not, they're alien.

I think it is likely that what Dr. Louis has in his jar is a new species of primitive airborne bacteria or alge. Certainly interesting to any biologist, but nonetheless born and bred right here on Earth.



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I also tend to doubt that the microbes are of extraterrestrial origin, but the notion is very exciting. If the current researchers' conclusions extend into outer space, I expect a lot of peer review and further study to take place to examine the claim. A definitive answer of any sort is many months, perhaps a few years, away.

Here's a link to Dr. Louis' page: http://education.vsnl.com/godfrey/

Do you ever wonder how a researcher pitches that to serious colleagues? "So ah, hey, I found this red stuff, I think it's alien bacteria. No really. Stop laughing. I'm serious!" That's gotta be an interesting speech.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. He has a lot to prove, but damn, it would be cool.

Do you have practical experience?

That depends on what you mean by "practical experience".

I have no professional experience; I make my living as a Web Content Writer / Researcher for a communications firm. My interest in science is purely amatuer, and due to my complete apathy for advanced mathematics it probably always will be.

But I took every science course offered at my high school, and as many as I could fit into my schedule during college. I've owned telescopes, microscopes, and chemistry sets ... and used each of them so much they eventually broke or wore out. I have safely collected biological samples, handled dangerous chemicals, and built (and launched) solid-fuel rockets. I have used first aid and CPR to help save the life of two human beings (septicemia in one case, head trauma in another) and have navigated a hiking expedition to true north using the stars.

I have used my knowledge of science to achive practical results on many occasions. However, no one has ever paid me to do it.

I'm not sure if that answers your question in the way you were hoping. I can only guess that what you really want to ask is "What makes you think you can suggest a course of action to Dr. Louis, who is a professional microbiologist, while you're just an armchair science enthusiast?" To which I can only answer "I'm suggesting it because it'd be a valuable experiment; knowing which base nucleotides are present in its DNA and / or RNA would go a long way towards establishing it as terrestrial or alien."

Personally, I'd like to know why Dr. Louis hasn't done that experiment, and why his potentially "alien" organisms are not being distributed to every university and government biology lab in the world. I'm also interested in why recent experiments (http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/arts_life/story.html?id=c1627bd9-334a-428a-8d5f-a7c532c44ec2&p=2) showing that DNA is indeed present are not as being as widely reported as the more sensational aspects of the case.

The ideas and questions that I'm presenting in this thread are the same ones any fairly knowledgeable skeptic should be presenting, Rover. Nothing more. But hey ... the next time that you question President Bush's methods, we'll be sure to ask you what practical experience you have with foriegn policy and high elective office.


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But hey ... the next time that you question President Bush's methods, we'll be sure to ask you what practical experience you have with foriegn policy and high elective office.


S

Now you'll get negative rep for hijacking a thread.
Oh, and for turning it into a political arguement.