1.5 billion year old water may host life forms

Water drilled from rock in a North American mine is among the oldest yet found on Earth, say scientists. Novel dating techniques used by the Canadian and UK team suggest the fluid is at least 1.5 billion years old. The water was probably once on the surface and then percolated through the ground where it became trapped at a depth of 2.4km. The discovery, made under Timmins, Ontario, is reported in this week's edition of the journal Nature. Although far from any light source, particular types of micro-organism could survive in the water - it has the right chemistry; it is rich in dissolved gases like hydrogen and methane. The team is currently testing its samples to determine whether any such lifeforms are indeed present.

www.bbc.co.uk...

More evidence supporting life outside of earth? Cool stuff

reply to post by canucks555


Now this is what I call awesome. Hopefully there are no aliens in that water that can hurt us. Thanks for sharing.

Cool stuff indeed, but how does finding life on Earth in any way affect the probability of life elsewhere?

Originally posted by DaTroof
Cool stuff indeed, but how does finding life on Earth in any way affect the probability of life elsewhere?

It's WHERE it's found IE Life in inhospitable places like Hot Springs and 1.5 billion year old puddles tell us that life is...tough.

Waiting for Nestle to come along, claim it, bottle it and sell at $100 per bottle to the rich.

I know it's out there but nothing surprises me anymore these days and it's exactly where my mind went to.

Remember, Nestle claims water is not a human right.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Peace

2 things.

The "novel" dating techniques should cause one to be a bit skeptical.

Any life in that water isn't necessarily the 1.5b years old that they claim the water is. It could have got into the sample anytime between then, through its "percolation" through the earth, up until that sample was gathered.

So, yeah. Life's tough. I think previous finds have proven that. But this, I'm not so sure its anything special.

Eta: unless that novel dating technique is proven accurate. That'd be special. In a good way.

Don't they use water to drill?
Or did they drill 2.4km without water?

Originally posted by DaTroof
Cool stuff indeed, but how does finding life on Earth in any way affect the probability of life elsewhere?

Because it is logical to assume that if you replicate the conditions, you replicate the results

Find another similar planet. Find similar life

This dating method is probably just as reliable as carbon dating.

Originally posted by 35Foxtrot
Any life in that water isn't necessarily the 1.5b years old that they claim the water is. It could have got into the sample anytime between then, through its "percolation" through the earth, up until that sample was gathered.

Ahhh... But if they discover a new microorganism, it obviously isn't from present days. And this is what really matters. They can worry about the details later.

Originally posted by DaTroof
Cool stuff indeed, but how does finding life on Earth in any way affect the probability of life elsewhere?

Because it could be entirely applicable to Mars should it exist. Like the other poster remarked, life is very tough. We have bacteria on Earth that are called extremophiles. We have microorganisms that thrive in sulfuric acid conditions or in conditions of extreme heat. Some microorganisms can create endospores that can lie dormant for extraordinary amounts of time only to "revive" when conditions become hospitable again. In other words, they can even survive extreme cold. Many bacteria find oxygen to be a poison. They are incredibly diverse. How this all applies to elsewhere and especially Mars is due to the fact that Mars once had conditions that were entirely habitable. Mars is etched with signs of a watery history and it still exists there today. Water is more fundamental for life on earth than even oxygen. Considering ideas of panspermia (that also point towards the existence of extremophiles on earth as being the source of life throughout the universe, btw), however life formed on Earth--it is likely that Mars would have had the same thing occur having both a. water and b. being within the Goldilocks zone. I've long held that if life survived on Mars, it will be found deep beneath the crust.

I know I'm not supposed to drink it but it's tempting, bottle me a bottle of vintage water. I'd brita filter it first.

Speaking of extremophiles,

One time I watched a planetarium 'movie' voiced by Patrick Stewart, the subject was Mars. In it Mr. Stewart proclaimed it was impossible for life to exist on Mars due to the temperatures and conditions. I then walked into the movie room and watched a video about extremophiles, it showed all of the extremophiles life forms from the coldest parts of the earth to the hottest completely disproving the statement made by Patrick Stewart in the Mars movie. Can't have it both ways, if extremophiles exist on earth they can easily exist on other planets.

what happens if I drink it?

reply to post by Jumadax


You start to rapidly age and soon you will be 1.5 billion years old.