Hey folks,
That is true, that there is a big difference between a parasitic-alien-mold, and a chemical that just so happens to fit into cellular receptors, and have an effect upon humans.
And I do see your point here: the character in this story (Donny) appears to be the perfect "food-source" for the alien-mold to expand and take over.
And I would agree that it is unlikely that any form of alien-life would find humans to be very appetizing, and our particular protein patterns would probably be poison to alien life. Even if they did find us to be a "tasty" treat, they would probably keal over with food-poisoning if they ate us (or at least indigestion).
But "Probably"... "unlikely"... again, who knows. Life on Earth is mysterious enough. Alien life will be even more mysterious.
For example, I have seen Earth-mold growing very happily on plastic, inside airtight sealed tupperware containers, that I could have sworn were perfectly sterile and clean when I sealed them. It was a fuzzy, nasty, and alien-like mold (with an unearthly bluish tint!)
Mold also grows rather quickly on my shower-floor consuming soap-scum as a food source (even though I sterlize the shower-floor once a week with a deadly combination of bleach and comet.) That mold seems to eat anything.. I really don't know how it reproduces copies of itself on a diet of soap-scum, but it manages just fine.
The Russians had a very nasty problem on their space-station Mir with a particular mold strain that had quickly evolved to consume the materials of the space station.
Mold did not evolve to consume plastic, nor soap-scum, nor space-station materials. But it eats these substances happily, and uses it to fuel copies of itself.
So who knows what an alien-analog of mold might be capable of doing to a human body like poor Donny.
Also: good point by Jeremi about how it is more complex and difficult to be the "defender" as opposed to the "eater".
- Wave_Rider_1899
Hey there "Drooling Iguana"
Well I would disagree.
Take for example, the fact that the first drugs used by humans were mostly plants that contained chemical compounds that just so happened to "accidentally" fit into human cell receptors, and caused interesting reactions in the human body.
These plants did not evolve to purposely intoxicate humans, or relieve pain, and alot of these plants never encountered a human or primate in the course of their evolution. Poppies evolved to look pretty and thereby get themselves pollinated... not to be ingested as opium!
In this very same way, some chemicals and compounds in an alien biosystem could (and probably will) fit into human cell receptors, and do some funky things to the human body.
Some of these compounds could even be in the form of self-replicating nano-sized particles. (Afterall our biosphere naturally produces nano-sized particles that function within cells).
So I don't buy the argument that many scientists espouse: "Don't worry about brining alien life back to Earth. It can't hurt us. It didn't evolve to infect us." Famous last words.
Alien life, if it exists, is just that: alien, unknown, and mysterious.
No one can say for sure what its effects will be on humans and our biosphere.
- Wave_Rider_1899
Slashdot Mirror
Hey folks, That is true, that there is a big difference between a parasitic-alien-mold, and a chemical that just so happens to fit into cellular receptors, and have an effect upon humans. And I do see your point here: the character in this story (Donny) appears to be the perfect "food-source" for the alien-mold to expand and take over. And I would agree that it is unlikely that any form of alien-life would find humans to be very appetizing, and our particular protein patterns would probably be poison to alien life. Even if they did find us to be a "tasty" treat, they would probably keal over with food-poisoning if they ate us (or at least indigestion). But "Probably"... "unlikely"... again, who knows. Life on Earth is mysterious enough. Alien life will be even more mysterious. For example, I have seen Earth-mold growing very happily on plastic, inside airtight sealed tupperware containers, that I could have sworn were perfectly sterile and clean when I sealed them. It was a fuzzy, nasty, and alien-like mold (with an unearthly bluish tint!) Mold also grows rather quickly on my shower-floor consuming soap-scum as a food source (even though I sterlize the shower-floor once a week with a deadly combination of bleach and comet.) That mold seems to eat anything.. I really don't know how it reproduces copies of itself on a diet of soap-scum, but it manages just fine. The Russians had a very nasty problem on their space-station Mir with a particular mold strain that had quickly evolved to consume the materials of the space station. Mold did not evolve to consume plastic, nor soap-scum, nor space-station materials. But it eats these substances happily, and uses it to fuel copies of itself. So who knows what an alien-analog of mold might be capable of doing to a human body like poor Donny. Also: good point by Jeremi about how it is more complex and difficult to be the "defender" as opposed to the "eater". - Wave_Rider_1899
Hey there "Drooling Iguana" Well I would disagree. Take for example, the fact that the first drugs used by humans were mostly plants that contained chemical compounds that just so happened to "accidentally" fit into human cell receptors, and caused interesting reactions in the human body. These plants did not evolve to purposely intoxicate humans, or relieve pain, and alot of these plants never encountered a human or primate in the course of their evolution. Poppies evolved to look pretty and thereby get themselves pollinated... not to be ingested as opium! In this very same way, some chemicals and compounds in an alien biosystem could (and probably will) fit into human cell receptors, and do some funky things to the human body. Some of these compounds could even be in the form of self-replicating nano-sized particles. (Afterall our biosphere naturally produces nano-sized particles that function within cells). So I don't buy the argument that many scientists espouse: "Don't worry about brining alien life back to Earth. It can't hurt us. It didn't evolve to infect us." Famous last words. Alien life, if it exists, is just that: alien, unknown, and mysterious. No one can say for sure what its effects will be on humans and our biosphere. - Wave_Rider_1899