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NASA Ames Reproduces the Building Blocks of Life In Laboratory
hypnosec writes "Scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center have reproduced non-biologically the three basic components of life found in both DNA and RNA — uracil, cytosine, and thymine. For their experiment scientists deposited an ice sample containing pyrimidine — a ring-shaped molecule made up of carbon and nitrogen — on a cold substrate in a chamber with space-like conditions such as very high vacuum, extremely low temperatures, and irradiated the sample with high-energy ultraviolet photons from a hydrogen lamp. Researchers discovered that such an arrangement produces these essential ingredients of life. "We have demonstrated for the first time that we can make uracil, cytosine, and thymine, all three components of RNA and DNA, non-biologically in a laboratory under conditions found in space," said Michel Nuevo, research scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. "We are showing that these laboratory processes, which simulate conditions in outer space, can make several fundamental building blocks used by living organisms on Earth."
That is awesome. Scientist were trying to make those chemicals in conditions resembling primordial earth but it actually works in space. But...what how do you get the pyrimidine ? Can you make that in space from other more basic molecules and under what conditions?
... the three basic components of life found in both DNA and RNA -- uracil, cytosine, and thymine.
The three components present in both DNA and RNA are cytosine, guanine and adenine. Uracil is only present in RNA, and thymine only in DNA.
Indeed. But isn't panspermia more about extremophiles surviving space rather than just the building blocks of life? Whatever the theory, it makes exploring comets and similar bodies even more interesting. I think this is first interesting space story for some time.
*pop*
there goes another gap...
The absence of data is not data.
irradiated with high-energy ultraviolet photons
That's a part of "space-like conditions".
surrounded continuously by doting scientists and elaborate test apparatus
That part is to guarantee success and have a thorough measurement of the process. For the natural process, it is reasonable to assume that it took many hundreds of millions of years before some place (and maybe more than one, over those years) happened to have all those conditions in it at the same time. The point here is that all the things that they've done and all the input materials are the kind that occur naturally. From there it's all statistics.
Nonsense. Everyone on the planet is able to create artificial life. It's called having sex, and they can do it anytime they like. Doesn't mean the invisible sky giant is having sex.
What about guanine and adenine?
"the three basic components of life" is misleading, more like "three of the basic components of life"
The chief component is cytosine... cytosine and guanine. ...Our two chief components are cytosine and guanine...and adenine.... Our three components are cytosine, adenine and cuanine...and thymine.... Our four...no... amongst our components.... amongst our components...are such elements as cytosine, guanine.... I'll come in again.
Err, its Wuuuush!?!
Liek reellly.... sum peeple ...
You couldn't be more wrong about that. While it is true that said data (that there is none available) shouldn't be weighed very strongly, it is data. In other news, if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
True, we know that there is nowhere in the universe that His noodly appendages doesn't grace.
And although being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, requires a human to find, judge, and act on his will. Guess noodly appendages can't wreak wrath anymore.
The cesspool just got a check and balance.
Does anybody else ask why 1950's research is being re-done at NASA? And why isn't NASA not going to be on the moon when others are lining up to get there?