Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! D. rad Bacteria: Candidate Astronauts Credit: Michael Daly (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences), DOE These bacteria could survive on another planet. In an Earth lab, Deinococcus radiodurans (D. rad) survive extreme levels of radiation, extreme temperatures, dehydration, and exposure to genotoxic chemicals. Amazingly, they even have the ability to repair their own DNA, usually with 48 hours. Known as an extremophile, bacteria such as D. rad are of interest to NASA partly because they might be adaptable to help human astronauts survive on other worlds. A recent map of D. rad's DNA might allow biologists to augment their survival skills with the ability to produce medicine, clean water, and oxygen. Already they have been genetically engineered to help clean up spills of toxic mercury. Likely one of the oldest surviving life forms, D. rad was discovered by accident in the 1950s when scientists investigating food preservation techniques could not easily kill it. Pictured above, Deinococcus radiodurans grow quietly in a dish.
Hm. A microbe with alot of potential. Fermenting equipment on spaceships, analyzing their genetics and augmenting ours for deep-space extremes (not to mention that DNA correction - potential for aging)... Plus, they could be used as an archetype for other bacteria that could "terraform" alien planets. Use their extremophilia traits, and incorporate them into a bacteria that, say, converts carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon. Or converts nitrates to nitrogen and oxygen....etc. Awesome stuff really Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
They survive in arid habitats by reduceing themselves to spore form. They can not metabolize or reproduce this while like this. Many bacteria can do this. It would not work for multicellular life. The other traits would be great. Nobody would let someone inject bacterial DNA into a human though for such a reason. It would remind too many of eugenics.
right on, dude! encapuslating themselves in their own plasmids... whoa....if we humans could do that...imagine the possibilities~!! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!)
I'm a fan of eugenics. On myself, anyway. Let me do to myself what i like! Personal liberty. Same thing with drugs. Someone wants to do drugs, let em. As long as they arent bothering you... Whats so wrong with eugenics anyway? is improbing the species' genetic stock so bad? the world is just against change, i think
No, we are just afraid WE will be deemed inferior. Personally, eugenics should be done in the following fation. Send large sums of money to those judged to be physically or mentally superior.
