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Methane-Eating Bacteria May Presage ET Life

Posted by kdawson on from the to-each-its-own dept.

asukasoryu sends along an intriguing piece in light of our recent discussion of possible signs of life on Saturn's moon Titan. "Researchers have discovered that methane-eating bacteria survive in a unique spring located on Axel Heiberg Island in Canada's extreme north. The subzero water is so salty that it doesn't freeze despite the cold, and it has no consumable oxygen in it. There are, however, big bubbles of methane that come to the surface. Lyle Whyte, McGill University microbiologist, explains that the so-called Lost Hammer spring supports microbial life, that the spring is similar to possible past or present springs on Mars, and that therefore they too could support life."

6 of 91 comments (clear)

  1. As a wise fictional character said... by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 4, Funny

    Or, in fact, symbiotic organisms on Titan, along with ones which might well be methanogenic in nature if they exist, and at even lower temperatures. Life finds a way, ladies and gents.

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    1. Re:As a wise fictional character said... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, that's the Big Question, isn't it? While it is becoming clear that life can move from an enormously productive biosphere into ecological niches previously thought to be completely inhospitable to life, can it arise in such 'hostile' environments? TFA didn't really go into detail as to the biochemical characterization of the methanogenic critters. Likely that will happen sometime down the line and will be really interesting.

      But we're going to have to get our respective asses to Mars if we really want to answer the question.

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  2. Methane eating bacteria? by highways · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can we transplant some of these methane-eating into the Gulf of Mexico? They're badly needed right now.

  3. Re:The problem with using extremophiles as models by ulzeraj · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, you really think that when the first signs of life developed here on earth, this planet was confy and cozy?

  4. Human traits by BigBadBus · · Score: 2, Funny

    As if being fixated with our own farts isn't bad enough, now we intently study microbe's trumps...and use them to spot life on other planets! *sigh*

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  5. Amazing news! by Dunbal · · Score: 2, Funny

    Slashdot has just discovered the anaerobe

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