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NASA Reproduces a Building Block of Life In the Lab

Posted by kdawson on from the but-not-as-we-know-it dept.

xp65 writes "NASA scientists studying the origin of life have reproduced uracil, a key component of our hereditary material, in the laboratory. They discovered that an ice sample containing pyrimidine exposed to ultraviolet radiation under space-like conditions produces this essential ingredient of life. 'We have demonstrated for the first time that we can make uracil, a component of RNA, non-biologically in a laboratory under conditions found in space,' said Michel Nuevo, research scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. 'We are showing that these laboratory processes, which simulate occurrences in outer space, can make a fundamental building block used by living organisms on Earth.'"

5 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. Re:An Application? by interkin3tic · · Score: 4, Funny

    I mean its cool and all, but I'm not sure I see where this is going. Can someone enlighten me?

    Sure. Picture this: you really need some uracil, but don't have a lot of scratch to buy it. You're out of luck, right? WRONG! Got some pyrimidine, ice, and a source of UV light? Guess what? THAT'S ALL YOU NEED!

    With all the money you'll save with this, maybe you could treat yourself to some fancypants store-bought cytosine.

  2. Re:An Application? by value_added · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you need an application to appreciate that, then we have very little in common ...

    Be kind. Most people need something tangible to inspire creative thought. To the OP, imagine, if you will, browsing the aisles of a toy store in your local mall. Next to the ant farm kits, and legos, you see

    New from Ronco(TM). LifeBuilder(TM) 1.0.
    Disclaimer: Space-like conditions and meteorites not included.

    Or something like that.

  3. Re:An Application? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    At this point the coffin is made entirely of nails.

    It's almost like a crown of nails, or like nails through the wrists.

    Ohhhhh... too soon?

  4. Re:An Application? by Tynin · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mean its cool and all, but I'm not sure I see where this is going. Can someone enlighten me?

    Much like how Star Trek has helped inspire technology, I believe Arthur C. Clark and Stanley Kubrick pioneered an application that could utilize this. That application would be the orbital baby. How the baby was made and the uses of said baby are left up to the opinion of the viewer. Of course that could be said for the rest of 2001: A Space Odyssey as well.

  5. Re:first post by HBoar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Obviously they have decided it's best to start from scratch this time...