Alien Bacteria May Have Landed in India

coastal984 writes "CNN & Popular Science are reporting that a scientist in India believes he may have discovered alien life in water collected from a unusually colored rainstorm. From the article: 'So how to explain them? Louis speculates that the particles could be extraterrestrial bacteria adapted to the harsh conditions of space and that the microbes hitched a ride on a comet or meteorite that later broke apart in the upper atmosphere and mixed with rain clouds above India.'"

Re:WTH Is Going On Here?

[maxwell demon]

You know, we are approaching the date (200)6-6-6, the day of the beast. Probably those are the bacteria of the Apocalypse! :-)

Re:Sorry, this is not news

[LionMage]

That's assuming there's any DNA to find. There are many self-replicating molecules in the universe, of which DNA is one kind. If researchers don't find DNA, then the next logical step IMHO is to find evidence of any other self-replicating molecules present inside these "cells."

Preliminary tests don't seem to indicate the presence of DNA. This shouldn't be the end of the inquiry. Furthermore, repeated testing for the presence of DNA is only so useful; yes, it's good to independently verify results, but after you're satisfied that something isn't there, it's time to find out what is there.

Summon the Mythbusters!

[electric_yak]

"Other theories have implicated fungal spores, red dust swept up from the Arabian peninsula, even a fine mist of blood cells produced by a meteor striking a high-flying flock of bats."

Now wait just a goddamn minute.

A flock of bats!? I think it's time to have F5 Industries figure out exactly how many bats, of what type, struck by a meteor of what size and velocity, are needed to create a fine red mist across a chunk of land that size.

Re:it is called iron bacteria

[Anonymous Coward]

except the iron bacteria 1) have DNA and these (apparantly) do not, and 2) iron bacteria have a totally different structure (iron bacteria are elongated, almost like a cigar or wand, while these other cells (?) are oval).