The Goldilocks Zone just got wider

NASA scientists have discovered that certain types of bacteria can survive and multiply without any need for elemental phospherous, instead using arsenic (a normally toxic element) to build nucleic acids. It is unknown at this time if such a bacterium could, eventually, evolve into larger and more complex arsenic-using life forms.

This means two things for us. One is that we may be able to use genetically engineered bacteria to remove arsenic from contaminated sites. The other is that there is a much wider range of planets that could possibly support carbon based life than we previously thought.

http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/12/ ... -official/

[MaiAriSquee]

That's nuts!! I can't wait till they release their research. Arsenic is in the same column as phosphorous... doesn't that mean it could behave in a similar way? Does this mean they don't make ATP? Whatsgoingonwhatsgoingon-

[Apothem]

It's the 34th Rule of the Universe: If it can exist, it will exist.

[Dragonheart91]

I guess they use ATA instead of ATP? Man, that's wild.

[MaiAriSquee]

Another news article from Discover Magazine: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badas ... f-arsenic/

Apparently they do incorporate arsenic into their DNA. WT, mates.

Also- *pats self on back*

Potentially much better: actual research article

[darkhamsterlord]

Just chiming in to say that this is the most video games news I have seen all week.

God, Kotaku is such a shitty website. How is this relevant to video games at all?

[mental]

Arsenic is in the same column as phosphorous... doesn't that mean it could behave in a similar way?

That's actually the reason for its toxicity -- it acts similarly enough to phosphorous that it ends up replacing it, though not quite so similar that biology works very well afterwards. The interesting thing with these newly discovered bacteria is that they seem to be able to continue to function pretty well (albeit still in a reduced capacity) after this happens.

[CRtheMighty]

Arsenic is in the same column as phosphorous... doesn't that mean it could behave in a similar way?

That's actually the reason for its toxicity -- it acts similarly enough to phosphorous that it ends up replacing it, though not quite so similar that biology works very well afterwards. The interesting thing with these newly discovered bacteria is that they seem to be able to continue to function pretty well (albeit still in a reduced capacity) after this happens.

My question now is: is phosphorous toxic to these new life forms? And who's the unlucky sod to test that?


That said, this is very cool stuff.

[Dragonheart91]

No, they actually still prefer Phosphorous. They simply have the ability to use Arsenic instead.

[TheBlackCat]

It may not be true at all. Here is a review of the paper. It is not kind:

http://rrresearch.blogspot.com/2010/12/ ... nasas.html

"Bottom line: Lots of flim-flam, but very little reliable information."