"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."

I'm excited. Anyone else?

Not sure, sounds like they only found a different way to find ET's. I believe there are ET's somewhere in the universe, it would be arrogant to think we're the only planet that came together in a way that could sustain life, but these ET's would be far off in distant galaxies and we would still have no way of getting there if we did find them.

I think it's going to be plant life or a possible sustainable atmosphere that could support it. The Cassinni mission might have saw or read something on their instruments near Rhea.

Couldn't help it.

I believe we'd be most likely to find microbiological life first, assuming the right equipment is used. I think it was on one of the moon missions someone sneezed on some glasses or something and took them to the moon outside the spacecraft and back and some of the microorganisms were still alive. Don't remember the exact story.

Sounds like pretty exciting news no matter what the find is.

could be very cool, doubt its another life form like us though. another planet to live on however i think is more possible

Not sure, sounds like they only found a different way to find ET's. I believe there are ET's somewhere in the universe, it would be arrogant to think we're the only planet that came together in a way that could sustain life, but these ET's would be far off in distant galaxies and we would still have no way of getting there if we did find them.

I think we could find life within our own galaxy. The Milky Way spans about a hundred thousand light years across and has 200-400 billion stars. Approximately 6-8,000 of those are visible from earth to the naked eye.

I believe we'd be most likely to find microbiological life first, assuming the right equipment is used. I think it was on one of the moon missions someone sneezed on some glasses or something and took them to the moon outside the spacecraft and back and some of the microorganisms were still alive. Don't remember the exact story.

Agreed. I think most likely we'll find some sort of microbiological life first.

It was a camera lens. Streptococcus bacteria. Somebody with a cold sneezed on it on Earth. It survived the trip through space and for two years on the moon.

Pretty exciting stuff PK.

It isn't a new life form "elsewhere" from the leak that came out. It's new life form here on Earth. Supposedly it's an arsenic based bacteria that has been found in Lake Mono. Even though it isn't on another planet, this is EXTREMELY interesting. Can't wait for the full press conference.

And where was it found? Right here in the US.

A-MER-I-CAAAAHHHH FUUUUUUK YEEEAHHH!!!!

It isn't a new life form "elsewhere" from the leak that came out. It's new life form here on Earth. Supposedly it's an arsenic based bacteria that has been found in Lake Mono. Even though it isn't on another planet, this is EXTREMELY interesting. Can't wait for the full press conference.

Seriously?! I hope that's not the big announcement. I've been reading and watching about Mono Lake and the organisms discovered there for a while now. Scientists are re-thinking how we define life. Basically, life as we know it on Earth all comes from the same tree of life. Life that is built from six key components. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur.

They've discovered that there may be an entire hidden biosphere of organisms that aren't from the same family tree as the rest of us, and has evolved from different basic building blocks. Essentially, "alien life forms" right here on Earth. We just never thought to look before because these organisms didn't fit our definition of life.

This new life form was exposed to arsenic levels at concentrations thousands of times stronger than what would be considered lethal. Not only can this organism survive in those levels, it thrives.

Seriously?!

Seriously, this is exactly what it is. Below are pictures of the organism all the way to the cellular level. Sure it's not some crazy blockbuster announcement like a full on alien life form, but it IS exciting and will turn our scientific assumptions of other life up on its ear.

NASA's article

Seriously, this is exactly what it is. Below are pictures of the organism all the way to the cellular level. Sure it's not some crazy blockbuster announcement like a full on alien life form, but it IS exciting and will turn our scientific assumptions of other life up on its ear.

Oh I totally agree that this is a profound discovery and cool as hell, but it's not really "new" news. There was a whole thing about this on Discovery a month or two ago. They think we might be on the brink of discovering an entirely different branch of "alien" life right here on Earth. I think they were calling the hidden biosphere I referenced earlier a "shadow biosphere" or mebbe "shadowsphere". Earth might be teeming with life that we don't even know exists. Maybe there are even multiple shadowspheres.

Coming from NASA, I was hoping for more along the lines of microbial life found on Europa or something.

Yeah, I figured Cassini had saw something on Rhea or something along those lines. Still cool, though.

Yeah, I figured Cassini had saw something on Rhea or something along those lines. Still cool, though.

Very cool.

And dammit if I can't find the video of the Discovery show about this. They took samples and introduced even higher concentrations of arsenic into their environment. Unnaturally and extremely toxic concentrations and it didn't faze them at al. They seemed to like it.

Coming from NASA, I was hoping for more along the lines of microbial life found on Europa or something.

yeah, those people aren't known for their hygeine skills anyway.

no such thing as aliens and the earth is flat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TV326bBVoE

This is the video I was talking about that aired on Discovery about this. Anyone who posted in this thread should check it out. Very cool and interesting.