Posted on 09/27/2006 10:40:02 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Fifty years ago, scientists uncovered a microbe capable of withstanding radiation in canned meat that had been bombarded with gamma rays. Named Deinococcus radiodurans -- or "strange berry that withstands radiation" [pictured at right] -- the microorganism can survive doses of radiation up to 500 times that which would kill a human. These doses shatter D. radiodurans's DNA -- just as they would in a human -- but the microbe can repair its broken DNA and spring back to life within hours, depending on the dose. Researchers in France have finally determined how the most durable of extremophiles manages this trick. "We have discovered the mechanism by which a clinically dead cell resurrects back to life," explains Miroslav Radman of INSERM, France's public biomedical research institution. "This extreme radiation resistance is but a by-product of its selection for resistance to desiccation."
(Excerpt) Read more at sciam.com ...
Tough Little Microbe May Be Martian
Ananova | 9-25-2002
Posted on 09/25/2002 2:48:04 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/757147/posts
Tough Earth bug may be from Mars
New Scientist | 25 September 02 | Stuart Clark
Posted on 09/26/2002 6:12:44 PM EDT by Heartlander
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/757945/posts
Astronomy Picture of the Day 9-30-02
NASA | 9-30-02 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell
Posted on 09/30/2002 3:59:56 AM EDT by petuniasevan
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/759851/posts
Beyond the Fish Wars (Intelligent Design is Bad Theology)
San Francisco Gate | 8/25/2005 | Rev. Jim Burklo
Posted on 08/25/2005 6:17:05 PM EDT by curiosity
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1470799/posts
[mentioned in this fascinating post]
119 posted on 08/26/2005 1:15:19 PM EDT by Ma3lst0rm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1470799/posts?page=119#119
Or, it came from space.
--
Remulak, perhaps.
--
4/4/2006
Conan the Bacterium: The Ancient Microscopic Hero
http://chaoticutopia.com/wp/?p=254
...or Oozamalak...
And you post THIS, knowing I'll have to stay up and read it.
You...you...SCOUNDREL!
(Keep up the good work!)
Cheers!
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