Doubts Brew About NASA’s New Arsenic Life

An arsenic-loving microbe found in a salty lake, which was touted last week as a potentially new form of life, is under heavy fire from the scientific community. The microbe, a bacteria called GFAJ-1, can apparently use arsenic instead of phosphorous to build its DNA, a trick no other life form has ever managed. A team of [...]

Doubts Brew About NASA’s New Arsenic Life

Backlink: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/12/arsenic-life-under-fire/

Microbiologist turns a skeptical eye on Mono Lake arsenic eaters

Microbiologist Rosie Redfield explains why she, and other researchers, are critical of the ostensible discovery of arsenic-loving bacteria in California's Lake Mono. This is a nice, technical explanation, which digs into some flaws in the research methodology. Short story: We know the now semi-infamous paper isn't about alien life. But Redfield says it doesn't show solid evidence of bacteria incorporating arsenic into their DNA, either.

Microbiologist turns a skeptical eye on Mono Lake arsenic eaters

Backlink: http://feeds.boingboing.net/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/kCmDR-im_D4/microbiologist-turns.html

NASA Unveils Arsenic Life Form

When cooking up the stuff of life, you can’t just substitute margarine for butter. Or so scientists thought.

NASA Unveils Arsenic Life Form

Backlink: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/12/nasa-finds-arsenic-life-form/