34,000-Year-Old Life Found Still Alive In Death Valley

[AsahinaKimi]

34,000 year-old bacteria were found in Death Valley... alive.

A new paper published in the January 2011 edition of GSA Today tells the story of the bacteria, which remained in a virtual "suspended animation" for millennia. "They're alive, but they're not using any energy to swim around, they're not reproducing," Brian Schubert, the bacteria's discoverer, told OurAmazingPlanet. "They're not doing anything at all except maintaining themselves."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/14/34000-year-old-life-found_n_809354.html

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O.o" wow!

[sharesunited]

1. I Know The Feeling.

[glinda]

7. Bwahahahahahaaaaaaa!

[Contrary1]

8. It's like my Aunt Margaret always told me...

"Don't ever get old."

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Maybe Mrs. Goldstein will let me be a couch potato

Finally! I have proof!

[Monk06]

3. "They're not doing anything at all except maintaining themselves." So they're middleclass Americans

[sharesunited]

4. Without the help of elected officials. Just like us!

[Monk06]

5. X actly We R Bacteria. Totally anonymous and self sufficient.

[Hugabear]

6. I thought perhaps McCain had gotten himself lost

n/t

[Tsiyu]

9. Hell, if I was 34,000 years old

I don't know that I'd be up for much procreatin' either :P



Nice story, thanks for sharing AsahinaKimi :hi:

[AsahinaKimi]

15. you are welcome!

dou itashimashite!

[old mark]

10. Sorry-I thought this was about Ronald Reagan...nt

[stevedeshazer]

11. Me too.

[AdHocSolver]

12. How did they determine the age of the bacteria, and that they were still "alive".

The original article says that the bacteria were encased in salt crystals. Not exactly easy to study very thoroughly. Just wondering.

[Maru Kitteh]

14. if they carry on metabolic function when transferred to a favorable environment then

well.. . there ya go.

[MilesColtrane]

13. Meh.

I've got life forms in my fridge older than that.

[Karenina]

16. The World's Oldest living Organisms

http://fora.tv/2010/11/15/Rachel_Sussman_The_Worlds_Oldest_Living_Organisms#The_13000-Year-Old_Underground_Forest_of_South_Africa

The full program is definitely worth the watch!

[RushIsRot]

17. I'll bet they're thirsty.