Inorganic Extraterrestrial Life Found?

An international research team announced a breakthrough in self-replicating plasma crystals which could be an early form of inorganic life. New studies of dust that form lifelike structures suggest that extraterrestrial life may not be carbon-based at all. Researchers at the Russian Academy of Science, the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany, and the University of Sydney observed particles of inorganic dust form helical structures and go through other "lifelike" changes.

Oh yeah almost forgot the link.
Here is the link


It also says there does not seem to be 'solid' proof tht it is life but it exhibits some characteristics of life.
Now i think this is going to lead to the old question of what defines life.



[edit on 12-7-2009 by raptorinvictus]



Removed 'All Caps' from title

[edit on 12/7/09 by masqua]

From what is seems to me this is some sort of strange PR stunt by the scientists. However they do have some data to back up their claims but everything remains highly speculative.
However if you think of it there is nothing stopping life from being inorganic.

Anything that is animated or inhabited by a soul could be considered life. I don't see why it couldn't be inorganic.

Originally posted by phi1618
Anything that is animated or inhabited by a soul could be considered life. I don't see why it couldn't be inorganic.

Except there is no evidence for what someone would could a 'soul'. Besides how would you quantify if something had a 'soul' or not?

Where there is exchange there is life.
Repeating of processes is also present in life.
But there could also be a "one time only" form of life.