Mine holds clue to life on Mars

Mine holds clue to life on Mars

www.sundayindependent.co.za

...organism that was discovered in a South African gold mine, nearly 3km beneath the Earth's surface...

The rod-shaped bacterium, named Desulforudis audaxviator, exists in total darkness, with no oxygen and in 60°C heat. But, most importantly, it is the first known species to live in isolation in its own ecosystem, say researchers in a report by the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory in California, one of a number of institutions involved in the research.

(visit the link for the full news article)

"One question that has arisen when considering the capacity of other planets to support life is whether organisms can exist independently, without access even to the sun,"

Well this is truly fascinating. Something alive and existing where something shouldn't be. I guess the excitement over this is warranted as it gives us more hope in finding other life.

It also blows the theory that the sun is required for life, however, maybe someone can help us see whether there may be an indirect way the sun is still involved.

Nonetheless... a great scientific find.

www.sundayindependent.co.za
(visit the link for the full news article)

Not the sun, but heat. This seems similar to the organisms they've found living around the volcanic vents, miles under the ocean where no light penetrates. Heat = energy that can be converted to sustain life. I'd be willing to bet we could find life anywhere the temperature is above absolute zero.

I read about this the other day, it's pretty awesome.

However, I'd like to know if these organisms can evolve from life that has had nothing to do with sunlight. As I see it, these organisms must have branched off the evolutionary tree at a very early stage, yet they are still likely to have evolved from an ancestor which required the same set of circumstances as all other life on Earth.

If we could show life was created down there independently of solar energy (or whatever caused initial life) then that would be truly exciting.

Unfortunately we have little understanding of the creation of life

ALREADY DISCUSSED HERE

Just a heads up posted this like 8 days ago.

So they found a bacteria on Earth, a planet abundant with life, new forms of which are discovered daily and this has something to do with a planet 34.65 million miles away.