34,000-Year-Old Organisms Found Buried Alive

[Allhallowsday]

34,000-Year-Old Organisms Found Buried Alive  
t's a tale that has all the trappings of a cult 1960s sci-fi movie: Scientists bring back ancient salt crystals, dug up from deep below Death Valley for climate research. The sparkling crystals are carefully packed away until, years later, a young, unknown researcher takes a second look at the 34,000-year-old crystals and discovers, trapped inside, something strange. Something ... alive.

Thankfully this story doesn't end with the destruction of the human race, but with a satisfied scientist finishing his Ph.D.

"It was actually a very big surprise to me," said Brian Schubert, who discovered ancient bacteria living within tiny, fluid-filled chambers inside the salt crystals.

Salt crystals grow very quickly, imprisoning whatever happens to be floating - or living - nearby inside tiny bubbles just a few microns across, akin to naturally made, miniature snow-globes.

"It's permanently sealed inside the salt, like little time capsules," said Tim Lowenstein, a professor in the geology department at Binghamton University and Schubert's advisor at the time.

Lowenstein said new research indicates this process occurs in modern saline lakes, further backing up Schubert's astounding discovery, which was first revealed about a year ago. The new findings, along with details of Schubert's work, are published in the January 2011 edition of GSA Today, the publication of the Geological Society of America...  

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110113/sc_livescience/34000yearoldorganismsfoundburiedalive  

[Mr. DS]

[Raffine]

Unfortunately she had to have her leg amputated last week.

But she's still going strong!

Hang in there, Zsa Zsa!

[Allhallowsday]

Unfortunately she had to have her leg amputated last week.

But she's still going strong!

Hang in there, Zsa Zsa!

And I've got the "mean guy" rep...

[Raffine]

Unfortunately she had to have her leg amputated last week.

But she's still going strong!

Hang in there, Zsa Zsa!

And I've got the "mean guy" rep...

You've been a bad influence. 

[Trevor]

Raff beat me to it: I was going to write something about Camilla Parker-Bowels. 

[Raffine]

Yeah, and this all started with seemingly innocent 'sparkling crystals':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6tStZaVHJc
	Small | Large

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

So, if I have my scientific thinking cap on correctly, it would appear that the bacteria may have thrived for so long due to something that's in the salt crystals itself. 

This might indicate that the bacteria is exclusive to the salt itself and not an organism that can live off of other things, or created by other means.  In any case, it's amazing any way you slice it. Good story.

[Allhallowsday]

So, if I have my scientific thinking cap on correctly, it would appear that the bacteria may have thrived for so long due to something that's in the salt crystals itself. 

This might indicate that the bacteria is exclusive to the salt itself and not an organism that can live off of other things, or created by other means.  In any case, it's amazing any way you slice it. Good story.

Did you read the article?  It was suggested the bacteria subsisted on algae, had existed before the salt crystals formed around them, and were trapped by the crystals. 

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

So, if I have my scientific thinking cap on correctly, it would appear that the bacteria may have thrived for so long due to something that's in the salt crystals itself. 

This might indicate that the bacteria is exclusive to the salt itself and not an organism that can live off of other things, or created by other means.  In any case, it's amazing any way you slice it. Good story.

Did you read the article?  It was suggested the bacteria subsisted on algae, had existed before the salt crystals formed around them, and were trapped by the crystals. 

Yes I actually did read the article, but my scientific mind always starts thinking other things...

My question was based on the supposition that the algae the bacteria subsisted on couldn't have lasted forever, that the supply would eventually run out, especially if it was trapped in a globe with the bacteria.

I mean, 34,000 years is a looo-ng time 

Therefore, being trapped inside the salt crystals,  with no food left and in a sea of moisture, perhaps the bacteria found a way to subsist off of something in the ancient sea salt.

Just my scientific mind with way too much time on it's hands again.

[Allhallowsday]

Good story.

[Raffine]

Seriously, this is a fascinating discovery. Not only is the microbe alive, it has reproduced. "It's 34,000 years old and it has a kid," Schubert said.

I have to appreciate how the author of the article managed to work in references to 60's sci-fi and Dr. Seuss' Whoville.

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

Maybe they might turn out to be The Flesh Eaters!