For example, there is really no chemical reason that we are Carbon-based instead of Silicon-based. We'd be much cooler in the latter scenario, too 
Arsenic is in the same group as Phosphorus, so while this discovery is interesting, it doesn't really change TOO much about the fundamentals of bio/chem.

Arsenic is in the same group as Phosphorus, so while this discovery is interesting, it doesn't really change TOO much about the fundamentals of bio/chem.
More Important Than Soccer: Completely new type of DNA discovered
- 02/12/2010 04:48:51 PM
1678 Views
Wow. *NM*
- 02/12/2010 05:32:08 PM
498 Views
that is TOTALLY inappropriate
- 02/12/2010 04:58:47 PM
885 Views
Crazy awesome.
- 02/12/2010 05:07:49 PM
952 Views
So the movie Evolution was real!
- 02/12/2010 05:24:16 PM
885 Views
Wow. *NM*
- 02/12/2010 05:32:08 PM
498 Views
Dang. I thought it was naturally occurring. Missed the part where it was grown in a lab.
- 03/12/2010 02:16:16 AM
980 Views
I won't pretend I know enough about biology to understand the impact of this
- 02/12/2010 06:26:24 PM
942 Views
It's like finding a type of rock that eats laughter
- 02/12/2010 06:51:15 PM
791 Views
... without coming down and dealing with the nasty stomach cramps.
- 02/12/2010 09:49:06 PM
988 Views
- 02/12/2010 09:49:06 PM
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I think I had an ex once that was made of arsenic. *NM*
- 02/12/2010 07:10:57 PM
451 Views
So, is it an alien?
- 02/12/2010 07:19:49 PM
934 Views
They haven't mentioned anything saying it's not from Earth, I think
- 02/12/2010 08:03:44 PM
953 Views
The bacteria in question is part of a known lineage
- 02/12/2010 08:07:34 PM
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see my note below
- 02/12/2010 08:13:35 PM
946 Views
Maybe
- 02/12/2010 08:23:16 PM
872 Views
So, apparently, this bacteria doesn't use arsneic for its DNA in its natural state?
- 02/12/2010 08:06:02 PM
840 Views
While awesome, it's a bit of a problem.
- 02/12/2010 09:04:22 PM
840 Views
True, but I'm not "looking for" anything in particular, so I just like it
*NM*
- 02/12/2010 11:09:21 PM
487 Views
*NM*
- 02/12/2010 11:09:21 PM
487 Views
It's interesting, but not completely shocking
- 02/12/2010 08:08:46 PM
1021 Views
Less cool a revelation than I was hoping, but certainly not a complete disappointment. *NM*
- 02/12/2010 10:35:33 PM
441 Views
I don't understand why this is such a big deal. It always seemed common sense to me that there are
- 02/12/2010 10:40:22 PM
989 Views
I think it just makes them happy that they can widen the parameters for life-sustaining planets. *NM*
- 02/12/2010 11:00:31 PM
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yah. it's one thing to theorize, another thing to find something to hold true.
- 02/12/2010 11:10:23 PM
862 Views
It's much more than an educated guess.
- 02/12/2010 11:59:18 PM
1023 Views
You can't "know" from this distance.
- 03/12/2010 03:13:05 AM
764 Views
Why not?
- 03/12/2010 04:42:15 AM
1028 Views
obviously you have not learned to look at the back label on the car
*NM*
- 04/12/2010 07:04:42 PM
425 Views
*NM*
- 04/12/2010 07:04:42 PM
425 Views
Yes, we can.
- 04/12/2010 06:04:48 PM
1191 Views
The problem probably is with me.
- 04/12/2010 08:00:56 PM
839 Views
No, they aren't.
- 04/12/2010 10:01:25 PM
852 Views
Are you baiting me to bait you?
- 05/12/2010 06:41:49 AM
1026 Views
I'm just carrying on a conversation.
- 05/12/2010 07:26:39 AM
1029 Views
Re: I'm just carrying on a conversation.
- 05/12/2010 07:08:04 PM
810 Views
Re: I'm just carrying on a conversation.
- 05/12/2010 07:56:43 PM
1002 Views
Re: I'm just carrying on a conversation.
- 06/12/2010 03:15:37 AM
964 Views
I made my students watch the NASA channel for over two hours today
- 02/12/2010 11:11:40 PM
763 Views
- 02/12/2010 11:11:40 PM
763 Views


