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POPSWhy we may overlook extra-terrestrial life Ammonia, for example, has many of the same properties as water. An ammonia or ammonia-water mixture, stays liquid at much colder temperatures than plain water.Hydrogen fluoride methanol, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride, and formamide have all been suggested as suitable solvents that could theoretically support alternative biochemistry. All of these “water replacements” have pros and cons when considered in our terrestrial environment. What needs to be considered is that with a radically different environment, comes radically different reactions. Water and carbon might be the very last things capable of supporting life in some extreme planetary conditions. In any case, it is not beyond the realm of feasibility that our first encounter with extra-terrestrial life will not be a solely carbon-based occasion.
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POPSArsenic-eating bacteria rewrite evolutionary history Oremland's team isolated and bred these bacteria in the lab. By growing them with with arsenite as the only possible food source, the researchers showed that the bacteria can indeed thrive. The results suggest that arsenic photosynthesis evolved at the same time, or even before, "normal" photosynthesis. Oremland says a similar mechanism might once have fuelled life on Mars or on Jupiter's moon Europa.
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POPSPeru Meteorite mystery solved I didn't realize the scale of the crater till I saw this picture with the people along the rim. That's as big as my entire yard! Other than the temporary sickness caused by the arsenic, the whole incident would have been very cool to see.
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POPSRenaissance Man After 500 years, one of Renaissance Italy's most enduring murder mysteries has been solved by forensic scientists. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola's fame has faded, but he was a celebrated figure at the Medici court. The flamboyant philosopher became an instant favourite of Lorenzo de' Medici when he arrived in Florence in 1486. Lorenzo was charmed by Pico, who was essentially a Platonic philosopher influenced by Oriental mysticism. He became famous for his incredible memory and his knowledge of Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic. Savonarola repeatedly preached against the Medicis, urging Florentines to reject the excesses of the Renaissance. Works by Botticelli and Michelangelo were burned during the "Bonfire of the Vanities" in 1497, when the monk's followers set fire to lavish furniture, mirrors, pagan books and immoral sculptures in the Piazza della Signora.
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POPS77 Highlights of Bush's first year in Office 9. Suspended rules that would have strengthened the government's ability to deny contracts to companies that violated workplace safety, environmental and other federal laws. 10. OK'd Interior Department appointee Gale Norton to send out letters to state officials soliciting suggestions for opening up national monuments for oil and gas drilling, coal mining, and foresting. 11. Appointed John Negroponte - an un-indicted high-level Iran Contra figure to the post of United Nations Ambassador. 12. Abandoned a campaign pledge to invest $100 million for rain forest conservation. The rest are at the site
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POPSpoisonous food What i like here is the fact that by moving a context, here a different life form, all descriptions regarding what is benefitial or harmful (for example) need to be updated.
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POPSBurkina Faso gov't closing arsenic poisoned wells :-( Those of us who have good drinking water take it for granted, while others have to choose between dying of thirst or arsenic poisoning. Sand filtration, if it works as well as Zougouri claims, sounds like a good alternative to closing the wells...a stop gap measure until new wells or technologies can be developed.
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POPSStolen rhino horns could be deadly, says museum "Rhino populations have fallen dramatically over the last few decades as poaching decimated the animals across Africa. Bredekamp said museums worldwide were being targeted by organised crime to help supply lucrative markets with a wide range of artefacts. After a previous robbery attempt, South African museum officials removed several other specimens of rhino horn from public display, he said. -- Reuters
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