NASA Astrobiology Press Conference: Have They Made Breakthrough In Search For Extraterrestrial Life?

Has NASA made a breakthrough in the search extraterrestrial life? That's what some are speculating after NASA sent out a curious press release announcing a news conference on Thursday, Dec. 2, to discuss an "astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life."

Kottke has a rundown on the scientists involved in the conference, and PCWorld thinks that, based on the participating scientists, "this astrobiological discovery will have something to do with water, evolutionary biology, and aquatic bacteria."

The full release from NASA is below. Watch the press conference live tomorrow here.

NASA Sets News Conference on Astrobiology Discovery; Science Journal Has Embargoed Details Until 2 p.m. EST On Dec. 2 WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 2, to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe.

The news conference will be held at the NASA Headquarters auditorium at 300 E St. SW, in Washington. It will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website at http://www.nasa.gov.

Participants are:
- Mary Voytek, director, Astrobiology Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington
- Felisa Wolfe-Simon, NASA astrobiology research fellow, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, Calif.
- Pamela Conrad, astrobiologist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
- Steven Benner, distinguished fellow, Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Gainesville, Fla.
- James Elser, professor, Arizona State University, Tempe

Media representatives may attend the conference or ask questions by phone or from participating NASA locations. To obtain dial-in information, journalists must send their name, affiliation and telephone number to Steve Cole at [e-mail] or call 202-358-0918 by noon Dec. 2.

Comments

[Rosanna Malbran-Forteza]

12:02 PM on 12/03/2010

Hmm I know NASA needs the hype, but the paper in science only describes a bacteria that can grow in arsenic using it instead of phosphorus.... so does not mean anything extraterrestrial, doesn't even mean a different evolutionary pathway and probably, although fascinating, means that these little guys adapted to the extreme conditions on the lake.

[TYRANNASAURUS]

07:32 PM on 12/02/2010

NASA .....Have They Made Breakthrough In Search For Extraterrestrial Life?

They're going to eventually discover and soon.... that life of all kinds can be a combination of many different chemicals besides the old water and carbon story..... now that the cat is finally out of the bag.

[ttaz4dqm]

03:49 PM on 12/02/2010

NASA: "This finding of an alternative biochemistry makeup will alter biology textbooks and expand the scope of the search for life beyond Earth." Too bad so many fundie students won't be getting the update.

[Britney Waldron]

02:31 PM on 12/02/2010

Interesting story! but isn't this old news! What happened to area 51?
http://britneywaldron.wordpress.com/

[TYRANNASAURUS]

07:34 PM on 12/02/2010

There is no area 51...... there never has been a 51 anywhere on this planet..... you should try studying astronomy and find out what's involved in space travel..

[John BShamurai Black]

10:51 PM on 12/02/2010

Ummmm.. thats a lie there is a area 51. Just check the government Archives for it its real.

[wowisdabomb]

02:29 PM on 12/02/2010

Actually, this is a very very amazing discovery if it is found to be true.

[Artboyz]

02:29 PM on 12/02/2010

What do you mean? The discovery is true. That's why it's a discovery.

[wowisdabomb]

02:28 PM on 12/02/2010

What if they find one that is silicone based and has acid for blood...??

RUN!

[ktpinnacle]

02:24 PM on 12/02/2010

Actually, this discovery will have critical applications on this planet. Arsenic-impacted soils and water will be able to be remediated using these bacteria. Count on a private organization applying this discovery to make millions.

[threeof4]

02:11 PM on 12/02/2010

This story was broadcast last week in Holland. The news is that instead of fosfor in it's DNA this bacteria has arsenic as a building block. This means a totally different form of life!
This is really a big thing!

Just my two cents

[quovadiszero]

06:06 PM on 12/02/2010

That finally explains the origin of a certain Alaskan family.

[BlackWidowPilot]

01:33 PM on 12/02/2010

IMHO this is only a "yawner" for those willfully ignorant of science and the Scientific Method. The implications of this placed in the context of the sheer size of our universe *is* eye opening to put it mildly.

The nay-sayers and science deniers are merely further proof that our public schools have not emphasized the actual teaching of the sciences and the Scientific Method enough as of yet, and it is past time for those of us who love our country and our species to stand up to the lunatic authoritarian political fringe who keep trying to rewrite our childrens' textbooks to dumb them down as much as possible for no good cause save to ensure future generations of uninformed and above all *passive* sheep, the easier for the corporate aristocracy to fleece.

Enough is indeed enough.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[gschear]

11:09 AM on 12/02/2010

It would be discouraging to be a scientist and discover that life can thrive in the harshest of environments on earth comparable to the conditions found on the thousands of exo-planets that are being discovered and have some geek with an aluminum foil hat ho hum the discovery because the saucer at area 51 wasn't revealed. I am reminded of the seen in Contact when Dr. Arroway returns to her Radio Telescope Array to discover the desert covered with...typical Americans.

[BlackWidowPilot]

01:28 PM on 12/02/2010

So the wackadoodles portrayed in that film who numbered in the several thousands at best represented all 350 *million* Americans including yours truly? Do you remember the final scene of the movie when Dr. Arroway/Jodie Foster exited the congressional hearing, all of those *Americans* who were there to support her?

How many Americans do you really know?

Don't give up on us all just yet, "gschear."

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[Icke Icke]

10:14 AM on 12/02/2010

It has already been leaked and yes it is a yawner
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334628/Astrobiology-findings-Alien-bacteria-lives-arsenic-Californian-lake-opens-search-life-planets.html

[omeo2013]

10:04 AM on 12/02/2010

I'm sorry, but unless they've made first contact, this is gonna be a real yawner of a let-down.

[Melody Jones]

05:12 PM on 01/16/2011

Just because they have not contacted EVERYONE does NOT mean they havnt made contact

[Smitty S]

09:08 AM on 12/02/2010

They will reveal they have found a new life form here on Earth that metabolizes Arsenic, which in theory means there could be life even in places previously thought uninhabitable by any kind of life. It makes the pool out of which Intelligent life could evolve and be found all that much bigger. It elevates everywhere else in the Universe to the recent status of "Goldilocks" planets. It is a big deal, but will disappoint those who do not ponder the ramifications.

[M33TBallz]

08:27 AM on 12/02/2010

Fingers crossed.

[Velvettazz]

08:26 AM on 12/02/2010

We've got enough of alien lifeforms in Washington DC.

[darcybd]

10:21 AM on 12/02/2010

LOL Agreed!