Who remembers Horta from TOS-Episode The Devil in the Dark?

Then as today a compareable lifeform sounds just as Science Fiction because all life, as it was terrestrial or  extraterrestrial, where assumed to develop only from carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. So it was logical to search for these components while searching for alien-lifeforms out there.

But yesterday there was the sensation while NASA-press-confernce: In Mono Lake, California Scientists discovered the lifeform GFAJ-1 (what a name). A bacteria which substitutes arsenic for phosphorus. This might be unspectecular in the first sight, but is a revolution for the search for alien-lifeforms. Suddenly environments came into considerations, which where excluded for search in the first place – till now. What they will discover in the next weeks, months or years is still written in the stars, but the chance to find something has increased enormous.

Who wants to know more and also whant to read critcal voices – here is more background:

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/astrobiology_toxic_chemical.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/dec/02/nasa-life-form-bacteria-arsenic

via The Brainbar