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Space Lichens
moon_monkey writes "According to a report lichens - a composite of algae and fungi - can survive in space for up to two weeks. An experiment carried out by the European Space Agency saw two species of lichen carried into orbit and then exposed to the vacuum of space for nearly 15 days. These are the most complex form of life now known to have survived prolonged exposure to space. The experiment adds weight to the theory of panspermia - that life could somehow be transported between planets."
I thought panspermia came from flute playing goats.
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Sounds like a neat theory, but it'd have to be an absolutely killer climax to have it hit escape velocity. I can't usually get more than 7-8 feet of distance even on a pent-up, high-pressure day.
I for one, welcome out new space-faring algae lichens. As a D&D player I've seen what regular lich can do, but I was unaware of their resistances to space. I truely am scared and confused.
Question: How long can a human stay in space without a space suit?
Answer: Almost indefinitely <evil grin>
Everybody Lies. But it doesn't matter since nobody listens.
This space lichen corpse tastes terrible! You finish eating the space lichen corpse.
Q: What did the comedian say to the crowd?
A: If I knew, this joke would be funny.
Oh wait...
...both interiorlly, and exteriorlly.
So, The Terrible Secret of Space is... athlete's foot? That was sort of anticlimactic.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
Rockets maybe... What better way to make absolutely clear to any intelligent life on another planet that there is life where you are from than hucking some of it at them?
...it goes on forever. And...Oh my God!...It's full of lichens!
No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
Is that why I've spent my whole life on a rock in space and gotten nowhere?
Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
My biology teacher told me that life was designed by an intelligent designer who can do anything. If he wanted lichen to sprout rocket engines and fly between the stars he could do that too. That's why science is a pointless subject to study and I'll just get back to my cow tipping here in Kansas...
Only an intelligent designer could have calculated the trajectories and orbits necessary to spread life between planets. Especially given the limited computers available at the time of creation.
Vuja De: That sinking feeling that this is going to happen again. Often occurs in meetings with Product Managers.