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Murchison Meteorite Still Contentious
An anonymous reader writes "The well-known 1969 meteorite that fell 60 miles north of Melbourne, Australia, remains remarkably contentious today. The 100 kilogram carbon rock : a) contains pre-biotic proteins and 12% water; b) harbors 50 amino acids not found on Earth; c) favors the tell-tale signature of biochemistry based on a dominant left-handed chirality, compared to random or racemic mixtures found in test-tube syntheses. While terrestrial contamination (even interior to the meteor) may discount this so-called 'Murchison meteor', its light isotopes of carbon and nitrogen suggest the left-handed amino acids not found elsewhere on Earth have the same ratios as the right-handed ones. This would not be the case if, say, bacteria was just making the left-handed ones after impact. Seems quite a controversy from down-under."
Guess the DNA spiral the other way just like the water in the toilet down under. ;)
And chunks of it are now on sale at Ned Flander's Leftorium.
Fan-diddly-tastic!
I m just a simple caveman, your fire scares me. These pre-biotic proteins you speak of are unfamiliar to me!
.. is find and orifice and pump the meteorite full of shampoo. If all the 'life' on it dies, then it's extra terrestrial. :D
"How would organic material from earth make it into the center of an object like this? "
I used to have a container of mayo in the fridge that'd prove to you it's not impossible for life to grow in surprising places, but it'd also kill your interest in learning how it managed that.
Is this another debate as to which is better? Lefties or Righties?
Good security is based upon reality and common sense. Common sense is a function of having common knowledge.
This is slashdot, so you're expecting to nod knowingly and pretend you understand it. Or do you really think all those people who discuss quantum mechanics at length really know what they're talking about?
Sounds very sinister. :)
It's quantum physics, you can't know what your talkign about. Reminds me of a /. sig i saw, "Quantum Theory; Calvinball for grown-ups."
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
"A microprocessor... is a terrible thing to waste." --
GeneralEmergency
Case closed and make mine a Foster's. G'day.
Sigs are bad for your health.
otherwise they would be sitting in a detention centre right now appealing their refusal of refugee status by the Australian Gumment. Bloody alien queue jumpers will not be tolerated.