http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/12/101202-nasa-announcement-arsenic-life-mono-lake-science-space/According to Nasa, in Lake Mono, California, a new bacteria was discovered, that thrives on the toxic Arsenic. According to scientists this could redefine the search for alien life, as before searching was based on water as a main source of life, and now new ones can be possible.
The bacteria allegedly used Arsenic to build its DNA and make its proteins. The bacteria, GFAJ-1 strain, substitutes phosphorous, in the six building blocks of life, with Arsenic. This could mean that the search for life in outer space is not limited to the availability of those 6 elements, namely carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, phosphorous, and calcium.
Phosphorous is poisonous to most organisms, because it can act like phosphorus get in the organism, and attack the cells, but as a paradox, this same deathly element, can create life in this desolate lake in California. "Not only does the bacteria withstand massive doses of Arsenic, but it incorporates it in its cells" claims the article.
This article is very interesting because it proves just how much more there is to discover. To just recently our search for extraterrestrial life was limited to the 6 building blocks of life, and just yesterday, this search has been redefined. Life can base itself on other elements and this is a great step in the continuous mission to locate life beyond planet. This is a fascinating article and I hope it yields more great discoveries in the near and distant future.
