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Extreme Bugs Found In Slag Dump

lonefox_illuminus writes "The world's most alkaline lifeforms are living in contaminated water in the U.S. These microbial little fellas are able to exist in an environment as harsh and toxic as caustic soda."

8 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. obviously by sydlexic · · Score: 3, Funny

    the scientists are looking in the wrong places. I recommend the follow short list for locating the most toxic life forms:

    1) capitol hill
    2) the law firm of "Boies, Schiller & Flexner"

  2. Wow, that's some great punk band names by utahjazz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slag Dump
    Extreme Bugs
    Alkaline Lifeform
    Caustic Soda
    Contaminated Water
    Harsh and Toxic
    Microbial Little

  3. Extremophile bacteria everywhere by G4from128k · · Score: 5, Informative

    Extremophile bacteria are found in all sorts of extreme places. Some can live in jet fuel (they corrode the tanks and require antibiotics in jet fuel). Others live in the acidic high-temperature hotsprings in Yellowstone. And entire ecosystems thrive around the 600 degree F "black smokers" in deep-sea thermal vents.

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  4. what a title by scrytch · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Extreme Bugs Found In Slag Dump"

    I've written code that could be described like that after it crashed and took everything else with it...

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  5. To environmentalists everywhere... by jgardn · · Score: 4, Interesting

    we must make sure that the slag dump is a protected environment. Any work in cleaning up the dump could result in the extinction of entire species of bacteria.

    Perhaps we could set up other toxic slag dump wildlife preserves in other places throughout the world.

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  6. The only serious post... by Descartes · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't know much about these kinds of bugs but I used to live in an area that was close to an old copper mine. The community tried all kinds of things to deal with the slag, including planting sunflowers (a.k.a. Jerusalem Artichokes) in it. IANABiologist, does anyone know if these things could actually be used to clean up slag? The article didn't really go in depth.

  7. Living in extreme environments is one thing... by aphexbrett · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Living in extreme environments is one thing, but completely different respiration systems is another thing entirely. This article reminds me of one I saw here. Apparently, some microbes discovered utilize iron as opposed to oxygen in order to sustain themselves. That's quite an accomplishment.

  8. One stop shopping, get all your cliches here! by Alsee · · Score: 5, Funny

    All your BASE are belong to us!

    I for one welcome our new Alkaline Lifeform overlords!

    There is no evidence that these bacteria evolved at all. This is just another case of scientific zealots bending the facts to fit their evolution-dogma. The scientific preisthood refuse to publish any paper that openly discusses the merits of creationist theory.

    Imagine an alkaline petri dish filled with a beowolf-cluster of cells!

    Poll, what should the scientific name of these bacteria be?
    () Coyboydacea Neilii
    () Cowboyacca Neileria
    () Cowboydium Neiliarum
    () Cowboyira Neilacillus
    () Cowboyus Neilidifera

    Natalite Portman, petrified and alkalined!

    Alkaline lifeforms are dying!

    (1) Adapt to an alkaline enviornment.
    (2) ???
    (3) PROFIT!

    Press release:
    It would have been IMPOSSIBLE for these bacteria to have adapted to this toxic sludge-pool with without the missappropriation of SCO's intellectual property. SCO's native habitat is toxic sludge-pools and only SCO possesses the genes required to thrive in this enviornment.

    In Soviet Russia alkaline sludge-pools adapt to YOU!

    Bacteria can survive corrosive alkaline envionments, they can survive 600 degree temperatures, they can survive intense radiation, they can survive powerful acids, they can survive toxic heavy metals, but they couldn't survive the SLASHDOT EFFECT!

    Photo: bacteria living in an alkaline enviornment
    (Link intentionally broken)

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