India's Red 'Alien' Rain found to reproduce

If you're unfamiliar with the Red Rain occurance, please watch:


There have been several threads posted here at ATS about India's Red Rain that occurred in 2001. But, now there's new evidence that's popped up that the (non-DNA based) cells found in the rain can actually reproduce themselves.

Image & Caption Source Reference
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5687d5e2640e.png[/atsimg]
Optical microscope images of red cells: (A) red cells before autoclaving (400x): cells evenly dispersed in the rain water. (B) red cells after 1 hour incubation at 121oC (1000x).(C) after 2 hour incubation at 121oC (1000x).

Published Findings

We have shown that the red cells found in the Red Rain (which fell on Kerala, India, in 2001) survive and grow after incubation for periods of up to two hours at 121 oC . Under these conditions daughter cells appear within the original mother cells and the number of cells in the samples increases with length of exposure to 121 oC. No such increase in cells occurs at room temperature, suggesting that the increase in daughter cells is brought about by exposure of the Red Rain cells to high temperatures. This is an independent confirmation of results reported earlier by two of the present authors, claiming that the cells can replicate under high pressure at temperatures up to 300 oC. The flourescence behaviour of the red cells is shown to be in remarkable correspondence with the extended red emission observed in the Red Rectangle planetary nebula and other galactic and extragalactic dust clouds, suggesting, though not proving, an extraterrestrial origin.

EDIT: To fix subject title.

[edit on 1-9-2010 by tyranny22]

.. this .. is the seeds of life.. which travel throughout time.. at is why ..and the end of time.. all life is renewed..

Not sure why the thread was moved to the "Fragile Earth" forum.

While the rain was an ecological occurrence the subject matter pertains more to cells of an extraterrestrial origin than to Earth's ecosystem.

Just because these cells didn't pop out of a flying saucer doesn't mean the findings are any less valuable when discussing the existence of "Alien" or "Extraterrestrial" life.

If we found life in Mars' polar caps and posted a thread about it on the Alien forum would it be moved to "Fragile Mars?"

[edit on 1-9-2010 by tyranny22]

reply to post by tyranny22
The Red Rain remains interesting stuff. The names in the paper have been researching and analysing the 'red rain' for many years, particularly Louis and Wickramasinghe. They attract next to no interest from fellow academics or institutions for their theories of panspermia or studies of the red rain.

Terrestrial abiogenesis is the overwhelming favourite explanation so far. Although some might claim a 'cover-up' or academic short-sightedness, it's just much more parsimonious than the panspermia theories.

Panspermia could be the accurate model for life's origins on Earth, but we need to understand the delivery system and the sources for such 'seeds of life.' Sure, life can survive very hostile conditions, including outer space. Can it survive the profoundly long journeys necessary to cross star systems or galaxies? Given the infinitesimally small amount of planets and moons compared to empty space, what are the chances that space-faring 'seeds' would ever hit land? Where does the 'life' come from? If it originated somewhere else, was it by abiogenesis? It had to begin somewhere! Right?

These questions are unanswerable to us at this point in time. We just don't know. Terrestrial abiogenesis presents far fewer questions and stays ahead of the pack. If life arises spontaneously under whatever necessary conditions, it can do so right here...without the complicated back story.

The 'Red Rain of Kerala' has been discussed and debated for over a hundred years. Charles Fort wrote a couple of pages about it in his famous 'Book of the Damned' way back in 1919! Most people are fairly certain the 'red rain' is an outcome of Saharan sand being whipped aloft by winds and dashed down in Kerala. As far back as Charles Fort, it was pointed out that Saharan sand isn't red. If it has a 'cosmic' origin, why Kerala so often? Maybe the 2001 'rede rain' had a different origin altogether and had nothing to do with Saharan sand? I don't know.

A few years ago, Godfrey Louis released a paper that seemed to indicate the 'cells' became chemically active at temperatures above 300 degrees Celsius. There was no nucleus and no DNA or means of reproduction. As far as I can make out, this paper appears to reiterate the findings of that paper, but has found evidence of a nucleus (it was a couple of years ago when I read the other paper).

I hope there's something in their findings and an element of repeatability. Without DNA (genes), it's hard to imagine how to identify these 'cells' as life. Hopefully, this new paper will open up some honest debate. A lot of people in the field are unlikely to read the findings without the encouragement of positive peer review. To be honest, I want their findings to be accurate from a primarily selfish perspective.

It'll add a whole new dimension to our sense of self and ideas of life.

Its amazing how little we know about our planet, I never even knew about this red rain until now. Very Interesting stuff.

I would have thought that a simple yet far reaching question would be, where did this rain actualy come from ? As far as I understand the weather , bodies of water are heated by the sun, and begin to evaporate . This vapour rises, and condenses into masses called clouds. When that cloud becomes large enough and/or encounters a sufficiently cool area of the atmosphere, it condenses further into droplets which fall to the earth as rain. Obviously thats a simplified version of events , but I think thats the basic idea.
Now, it ought to be obvious to us that this red rain must have originated SOMEWHERE. Its not like water vapour ever just arrives, its part of a cycle. So I wonder where this rain began its existance. From which body of water was it evaporated... I mean how did this stuff enter the weather system?
Is there some hidden lake full of the stuff? Did humidity drag it from the deeps of some cave or other?
Then theres the interesting biological/chemical properties of this stuff. I hear it has cells but no DNA .... If this is true it is the ONLY thing on earth which can claim this. DNA is the operating manual for an organism, it programs cells to perform thier function , without DNA our current understanding of Biology says there is no lifeform, and yet... this ...stuff reproduces? Have the men studying it found out what ELSE it does that ought to be impossible?

reply to post by TrueBrit

Now, it ought to be obvious to us that this red rain must have originated SOMEWHERE. Its not like water vapour ever just arrives, its part of a cycle. So I wonder where this rain began its existance. From which body of water was it evaporated... I mean how did this stuff enter the weather system? Is there some hidden lake full of the stuff? Did humidity drag it from the deeps of some cave or other?

Hiya TB. The people involved in the study of the Red Rain all share a belief in 'panspermia.' This means they theorise that life came to Earth from elsewhere in the form of some type of 'seed.' Imagine the most basic form of life travelling the voids of space and crashing down on a planet with all the ingredients to support it already waiting. That's how they see it.

In the case of the Red Rain, Wickramasinghe and Louis have suggested it came from a colliding snowball meteor. In that sense, the 'cells' are ET in origin.

They are making a massive claim and will have to provide massive proof or evidence. They are claiming to have found a reproducing life-form that doesn't have DNA or require a solvent. Essentially, a totally new form of life! On top of that, they are claiming it arises from space.

Basically, proof that life exists outside of Earth

I would like to interject a note here:

The researchers have stated in the video
that this red rain has no DNA. Then how can
it be linked to humans who do have DNA?
If this stuff did come here long time ago
to start life on this planet, would it be safe
to assume that the same biological makeup
of that stuff has evolved into something else?
Then, can it change again from current to
something else? This boggles the mind.

reply to post by tyranny22


It appears that the mystery has been solved.

en.wikipedia.org...

"The color was found to be due to the presence of a large amount of spores of a lichen-forming alga belonging to the genus Trentepohlia. Field verification showed that the region had plenty of such lichens. Samples of lichen taken from Changanacherry, when cultured in an algal medium, also showed the presence of the same species of algae. Both samples (from rainwater and from trees) produced the same kind of algae, indicating that the spores seen in the rainwater most probably came from local sources."

reply to post by Kandinsky


So they are suggesting (forgive me if I misunderstand) that this rain came about when a space bourne lump of frozen *something* came into our atmosphere, was vapourised on contact with the atmosphere, and then fell to earth as rain?
That sort of explains why they were rambling on about some far distant planetary body . A question. Could the lack of DNA be a defense against solar radiation? I mean we know that DNA can be denatured by solar radiation, perhaps the lack of it indicates a lifeform specificaly designed to be proof against interstellar deployment?

If given long enough, I wonder what these cells would eventually grow into? Especially without DNA. I had always thought that DNA was the building block of all life. But apparently not.

Very curious. I hope someday they figure out where it originated from.

Mind boggling for sure

reply to post by TrueBrit

Could the lack of DNA be a defense against solar radiation? I mean we know that DNA can be denatured by solar radiation, perhaps the lack of it indicates a lifeform specificaly designed to be proof against interstellar deployment?

Who knows? DNA is the like the building plans and without them, a cell shouldn't be able to develop into anything. The researchers don't seem to have addressed the 'hows' until they've addressed the 'what.'


They've got a lot more work to do to get the claim accepted. If it's really a new life-form, maybe it's the way it is as an adaptation to a deep space environment. Again, without DNA, it's hard to conceive how a life-form could grow, change, mutate, adapt etc.

reply to post by pteridine


You should know by now not to trust any sort of government investigation.

If this is true, maybe the Government of India (the people who claim to have solved this mystery) could provide us with a map of the DNA from this mysterious algae. After all, algae has DNA. Map it and prove the theory rather than just saying anything that will calm the people of your country down.

[edit on 1-9-2010 by tyranny22]

reply to post by tyranny22


Why did the space bourne life show up only over this area of India? There have been many occurences of the red rain in the same place over a long period of time. There are identical lifeforms in high concentration in this area. The lifeforms have been identified as a known algae.
If alien life was the source of life on earth, it likely happened long ago before earth life adapted to oxygen.

...proposed that a meteor (from a comet containing the red particles) caused the sound and flash and when it disintegrated over Kerala it released the red particles which slowly fell to the ground.

Red Rain in Kerala

reply to post by Arkitekchur

From the source en.wikipedia.org...
"From July 25 to September 23, 2001, red rain sporadically fell on the southern Indian state of Kerala. Heavy downpours occurred in which the rain was colored red, staining clothes pink. Yellow, green, and black rain was also reported. Colored rain had been reported in Kerala as early as 1896 and several times since then."

Meteors and comets don't dribble material for months and years. Meteors and comets, if the source, would not just hang around Kerala but would be expected to strike around the world.

reply to post by tyranny22


That's some good stuff! Even though I read your post before I watched the video, at the end of the video my face looked like this:
It looks like red blood cells but it's not... so they sent it off to get it's DNA.
"..It came back ...there was no DNA."

multiplying single celled questionable life forms unknown to man that came from the sky ...sounds like the movie Evolution. if we find out it's here to kill all life we can defeat it with Head and Shoulders.

reply to post by Arkitekchur


so ...it's safe to say they're aliens.

that's so cool. x)

Two things I would like to add..

If these red "cells" reproduce, is there any chance you can introduce DNA into the cell and have the DNA reproduce also?

Possibly these thick blank cells are what was used when life was created here? If life formed spontaneously with some lightning and amino acids combining to form primitive DNA or RNA... I can't remember who but someone carried out an experiment but I'm sure...someone will know what I am thinking of. Throw these cells in the mix and boom, new life?

Also.. they need to remove the music from the background.. like a cheesey sci-fi movie

reply to post by ohsnaptruth


It's safe to say that they are common algae and not alien life.