Life – More Diverse than Ever

Bacteria Prove More Hearty Than Believed

In the search for life elsewhere, scientists first look to the diversity of environments on the earth in which life flourishes. Over the years there have been a number of surprises, such as bacteria which breed in the scalding hot sulfur rich waters of natural geysers, and creatures which live on the edges of volcanic vents miles deep on the ocean floor where pressures are absolutely crushing.

Based on their research, scientists came up with some fundamental elements which they believed were essential for the formation of life. These elements are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus. But a recent discovery had changed their things a bit. According to a report in the journal Science, a bacteria has been found in the mud from salty Mono Lake in California which appears to use arsenic as part of its basic metabolism and its genetic structure. Scientists believe that this bacteria is basically using the arsenic (an absolute poison to most life) in its structure in place of the phosphorus which other life forms use.

Implications for this new discovery include the possibility in many other places once considered impossible or highly unlikely. Some of the new potential targets for off-earth life now include Titan; one of Saturn’s largest moons.