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8 Million Year Old Bacteria Thaws, Lives

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the gonna-need-more-antibiotics dept.

Jamie found a New Scientist story about 8 million year old bacteria that scientists thawed out, and now it's alive. Also somehow they are sure that this is safe. The interesting bit is that since these samples came from ancient ice, it seems that the world will naturally be filled with these guys soon.

3 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. Summary dies, needs resusitation. by lottameez · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously, that was a terrible summary. The reason the scientists think it's okay and not dangerous is because the process of old ice melting and bacteria being reintroduced happens all the time.

    Nothing to see here, move along.

    --
    Yeah? Well I think you're overrated too.
  2. Wrong Focus by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think posters are getting too hung up on the "prehistoric killer bacteria" story and not the fact that something frozen for 8 million years can be thawed and live again (not sure how new this news is). So, we could potentially have a solar system filled with seeder asteroids (meteoroids?) from massive impacts with Earth or an older life-bearing Mars.

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    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  3. Re:Typical misleading summary... by Hardhead_7 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The preponderance of evidence in the 1400's said that the world was flat and that sea monsters ate you if you took your boat too close to the edge.


    No, that was the popular opinion. In the 1400s, most scientists believed the Earth was round. I think you unintentionally drew a parallel.