Russian scientists find NEW life form in Antarctica---14% unknown DNA.

I have concerns about what theyre thawing out.. some horrible cousin of the common cold.. which Ive contracted already. Or Zombie virus.

Seriously though, Ill say it again... why are we looking to space and centering all of our efforts toward the beyond when we have so much to discover here on our little rock... I can only imagine the wonders right here far outshine the sterile rocks gravel of space.

a reply to: Advantage

John Glenn just died, if one of these scientists die does anyone care?

In other words, space is super duper heroic and cool, finding new plants and organisms, not so much.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: Advantage

John Glenn just died, if one of these scientists die does anyone care?

In other words, space is super duper heroic and cool, finding new plants and organisms, not so much.

So we've been taught to revere space monkeys... and not explorers. Damned SciFi channel...

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: sunkuong

Your welcome, I can't imagine the look on the scientist's faces when they read the test results. 14% unknown DNA. Crazy cool.

I've always been fascinated about Lake Vostok. However, 14% unknown DNA may be just par for the course.

Dr. Christopher E. Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medical College, along with his colleagues, took DNA samples from turnstiles, handrails, poles, seats and other surfaces in the NYC subway system and tested them for bacterial and human DNA. Over the course of a year-and-a-half, the team performed 1,500 swabs at unique locations throughout the city's five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.

Later analyses of these DNA samples revealed that almost half of them came from organisms that aren't even cataloged, meaning nobody knows what they are. And a mere 0.2 percent matched the human genome, suggesting that the vast majority of NYC subway germs originate from non-human or otherwise unidentified sources.

I'm much more interested in someone mapping the lake, tbh. And the possibility of other odd anomalies, of course.

a reply to: GreyScale

What do you mean by anomalies?

A couple of thoughts.

If you have never been to a place before, how can you determine what life forms are new or old?

Most lifeforms adapt to their environment, so a life form in an unresearched, untouched area, could be very much ordinary, even if it appears odd or unusual in another environment.

14% DNA unknown but 86% known DNA. Could the 14% unknown have to do with the fact that they know nothing about the area where it was found? If this species is really as pure as they claim, then would not the specimen be the original and what we think of as normal, actually be the mutation?

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: GreyScale

What do you mean by anomalies?

Google it.. supposedly there is a magnetic anomaly.

Then the CT crowd went wild and now maybe the lake is the set of the Alien/Predator movie.

IDK... too much conflicting info out there... too much BS.

So again I'd like to know...

ETA for Alien conspiracy theorists in 3..2..1...

a reply to: odzeandennz

It's odd but not as odd as he is.

a reply to: seasonal

There has been a lot of back and forth in the scientific community about the lake.

3,500 new lifeforms was the original number bounced around once they made a ~clean~ bore entry and analysis. One scientist pointed to the possibility of fish in the lake before quickly retracting it.

The lake itself is under a tremendous amount of pressure.. the environment could be suited to another planet, so that part is interesting.

And then.. the anomalies that I'd like to know about.

a reply to: LightAssassin

Thanks!

And it still amazes me how quickly and accurately Google/Chrome translate works.

a reply to: GreyScale

Yes, it wouldn't surprise me at all if there was fish, life has a funny way of making things work.

Anyone else check out the other articles on the Russian site that's the source?

I don't remember NASA announcing rivers of salt water being found on Mars. Maybe I missed that.

m.lenta.ru...

a reply to: Quantumgamer1776

Bruce Willis lives.

Forget the new bacterium! I want to know more about that giant MACON or magnetic anomaly down there! That info has been around for many many years! And still nothing new? They recently banned anyone not approved from going to Antarctica for 35 years under the auspice of conserving the environment? They found something much bigger than just bacteria!