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Microbes Alive After Being Frozen for 32,000 Years

Posted by samzenpus on from the stasis dept.

An anonymous reader writes "LiveScience is reporting on a new type of bacteria that after being frozen 32,000 years in the Arctic was ready to swim, eat and multiply instantly upon being thawed. Researchers are excited because they're the sort of microbes that might thrive in the ice sea announced on Mars yesterday. The instant revival abilities mean a future mission, if it found anything on Mars, could conceivably culture it and bring it back alive. Maybe NASA could market them as Martian Sea Monkeys."

8 of 527 comments (clear)

  1. We're all dead!! by StikyPad · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hasn't anyone ever read Andromeda?? Don't thaw them out!!

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    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
    1. Re:We're all dead!! by Mr.+Capris · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't worry, by the third mutation or so it stops killing you and only erodes rubber...although it could go back any time now...

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      Have you seen the arrow?
    2. Re:We're all dead!! by hexium · · Score: 5, Funny

      Opening Slashdot today, I quickly scanned over the articles and saw "Microsoft Alive After Being Frozen for 32,000 Years".

  2. Mmm... microbe babes! by FunWithHeadlines · · Score: 5, Funny
    "bacteria that after being frozen 32,000 years in the Arctic was ready to swim, eat and multiply instantly upon being thawed.

    Wouldn't you be ready to eat and, uh, multiply if you had been without for 32,000 years?

  3. What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The number of years isn't rounded to 32,768? And you call this a geek site?

  4. Uh oh... by nebaz · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's Encino Paramecium

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    Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
  5. Re:Fark headline? by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think the notorious "What could possibly go wrong?" tagline might be more appropriate :)

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    Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  6. First thing the microbes did upon waking up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    take a really long piss.