Microbiologist claims he has 95% certain proof of alien life

Dr. Milton Wainwright of Sheffield University in the U.K. thinks that he has very probably found extraterrestrial life. A balloon took samples at 27 kilometers altitude. These revealed living organisms when examined. The doctor maintains that these organisms are too high up to have come from Earth, and so must have drifted in from space. Another balloon mission is planned to confirm these findings.
news.msn.co.nz...

reply to post by Ross 54


95 %, eh? Not 100...

He basically took a baloon, sent it to the upper atmosphere, then took the balloon back. When he did that, he noticed there were micro-organism on the balloon.

Couldn't the micro-organism come unto the balloon as the balloon re-entered the troposphere? Our air isn't microbe-free.

reply to post by swanne
No scientist should ever pretend to be 100 % certain of anything.

Ross 54
reply to post by swanne

 

No scientist should ever pretend to be 100 % certain of anything.

Good point. Very good point indeed.

swanne
reply to post by Ross 54

 

95 %, eh? Not 100...

He basically took a baloon, sent it to the upper atmosphere, then took the balloon back. When he did that, he noticed there were micro-organism on the balloon.

Couldn't the micro-organism come unto the balloon as the balloon re-entered the troposphere? Our air isn't microbe-free.

edit on 8-12-2013 by swanne because: (no reason given)

No scientist should ever pretend to be 100 % certain of anything. If the experiment is to mean anything, it must have sealed the samples from contamination during the balloon's return trip to the Earth's surface. The question remains-- is 27 kilometers really too high for airborne contamination to be blown up there from Earth's surface?

Algae spores and microorganisms CAN be carried as high up as 27 km or more. Scientists know that volcanic events can do this.

Milton Wainwright and Chandra Wickramasinghe claim that there have been no volcanic events of the magnitude known to be able to do this in the past 3 years, and they say that science does not know other ways the algae could have gotten there. Therefore, they claim that the algae is probably from space.

However, that seems to be pretty circumstantial evidence. We all know that science cannot possibly know of all of the ways that Earth organisms could have been carried to up that high, and to claim that "Our scientific knowledge cannot explain how Earth organisms could get that high, so it is probably extraterrestrial" seems to be a scientific stretch.

Perhaps there is simply some yet unknown mechanism (other than a volcanic eruption) for the Earth organisms to have gotten so high up.


By the way, this has been discussed on ATS a few times before:

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...&mem=

double post

Another force of nature, as powerful as major volcanic eruptions? One that can propel largish micro-organisms (diatoms range from 2 to 200 micrometers in size) from Earth's surface to heights of 27 kilometers? And science hasn't a hint of the existence of such a force? Hmm...

as i understand it, nanotech was born out of studying samples from space. I am not clear on it if was a byproduct of humans, or existent there already.

Viruses typically come from space is another theory.

This is interesting. Look forward to the follow up.

There are, as stated, many variables that could discredit the experiment, but assuming the man knew what he was doing (and that it was done well) it's simply one more factoid pointing to what is, probably, a universe teeming with life.

I would sleep better thinking that space was mostly sterile, being a mild hypochondriac... but I'd put a modest amount of money on the idea that it ain't.

All he has to do is sequence the DNA and see what part of the family tree these organisms are from.

PhoenixOD
All he has to do is sequence the DNA and see what part of the family tree these organisms are from.

that's funny because what if our family tree actually arises from these things from space? What's so unreasonable about that? Where did the first forms of life here on Earth come from? The eukaryotes could very easily have come to Earth that way. If they didn't come down from the sky then where did they arise from on Earth? because back then it was still pretty hot. Where are the fossils of the primordial slime that turned into the first organized dna? stuff should be all over the planet but we don't find it anywhere. this other idea makes more sense than the primordial soup. Where did the space stuff come from? Good question but it doesn't prove the theory wrong.

reply to post by bottleslingguy


I understand what you are saying and agree with some of it to an extent.

But pre-DNA fossilized slime? Im pretty sure theres no such thing as fossilized slime. Even if there was how would anyone know that it was the slim that eventually turned into DNA?

Like i said i agree with some of what you are saying but asking where is the evidence of the fossilized pre-DNA super slime seems like an idea you didnt think through properly

It's also been discussed that the elements making up the organisms might be analyzed for isotopic ratios. These are unique to each planet. If the isotopes don't match those from Earth, then the samples are of extraterrestrial life.

We have made discoveries of bacteria at at 20 kilometers altitude, and unspecified 'microbes', probably meaning bacteria, up to 41 kilometers. The organisms collected by Dr. Wainwright's project appear to be diatoms, or something comparable.
These are much larger, and so, much heavier than bacteria, as a rule. It would presumably be much more difficult to transport them to 27 kilometers, or maintain them at that altitude for any length of time.

Ross 54
Another force of nature, as powerful as major volcanic eruptions? One that can propel largish micro-organisms (diatoms range from 2 to 200 micrometers in size) from Earth's surface to heights of 27 kilometers? And science hasn't a hint of the existence of such a force? Hmm...

It doesn't need to be a force.

We already know that even large organisms can be carried on the winds. Perhaps science underestimates how the winds could keep something aloft for a long time -- for example, the currents keeping some diatoms and algae spores aloft several years after the volcanic eruption that put them there.

Surely just because the mechanism is unknown for diatoms and algae spores being aloft does not mean the "only explanation" (Wainwrights words) is that it is extraterrestrial. That may be one explanation, but it is by far not the only one. It would be bad science to jump to such a conclusion

It would also be bad science not to consider the possibility of contamination of his balloon experiment equipment from other parts of the atmosphere as it went up then came back down.

reply to post by Ross 54


Given "where" the samples were collected: more like a 0.999 probability of "alien" but NOT "extraterrestrial".

Ross 54
Dr. Milton Wainwright of Sheffield University in the U.K.

One would be wise to stop reading right there.

He and his team have a history of making unverified claims.
Scientists claim to have found evidence of ALIEN LIFE

Not the most objective of sources with regards to the topic of panspermia. I suggest you take a closer look at his controversial background and somewhat shoddy contributions to the supposedly scientific "Journal of Cosmology", of which he is the "Astrobiology editor". His home University of Cardiff saw fit to defund his department and dismiss him from his post.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


I meant it more in the sense of whatever it was that predated the first one celled life on Earth. There had to be some kind of distinction between it and dirt maybe, that is IF life actually originated on terra firma.

What exactly is the meaning of terrestrial. Pertaining to land, not aquatic, not aerial.
Extraterrestrial is outside or originating outside the earth . If it's in the air it's aerial and if it's in our air it's from earth.
Not that I dispute extraterrestrial life and microbiotic life is still life but please make sure it's really from space and not our own environment. This is how they will ease us into accepting life outside of our planet. Note the news of other earth like planets out there recently. Now news of micro life and you can see the ultimate progression from there to intelligent life out there.

reply to post by Ross 54


I got a 99 on a history final in 11th grade because a teacher felt the same way.