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Joined: Dec 2006
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Superstar
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I sometimes think that humans will never rest until they have succeeded in contaminating every corner of the available universe with their germs. We had to drill in Lake Vostok, a pristine environment cut off from the rest of the world for thousands, if not millions of years. Life will find a way into any environment, however hostile and barren it may seem to be. Chemolithotrophic bacteria can be at the center of an ecosystem that never sees sunlight. We know this to be true of deep sea ocean vents. Why not on Europa, in her salty seas? And what will happen when we contaminate them irrevocably? Humans are very destructive.


If you don't care for reality, just wait a while; another will be along shortly. --A Rose

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Originally Posted By: Amaranth Rose II
Humans are very destructive.

That sums it up.

I believe the possible threat of our bacteria to extraterrestrial life is eclipsed by a far greater known threat: the human animal - in the short term, due care might be taken to ensure that bacteria don't contaminate Europa; it's doubtful that the same care will be taken, in the long term, to ensure that humans don't.

Arthur C. Clarke may have been speaking from his heart when, in '2010: Odyssey Two', he wrote (for his hyper-intelligent aliens):
"ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS - EXCEPT EUROPA. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE"
The context was different, but good reasons still apply.


"Time is what prevents everything from happening at once" - John Wheeler
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Superstar
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It has been said that if the cells of all living things other than bacteria and fungi were somehow dissolved away, the remaining bacteria would maintain the structure of the living things. They are all around us, in us and on us. We can't help but contaminate everything we touch. I daresay if we met another sapient race on another planet, it would come down to a fight between their microbes and ours, and whose immune system could fight off the new microbes best. It gives a whole other meaning to the words "Germ Warfare".


If you don't care for reality, just wait a while; another will be along shortly. --A Rose

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The question of infection from an alien (extraterrestrial) species has been considered a lot. Some people are of the opinion that the chemistry would likely be so different that the possibility of cross infection would be very low. Of course we really don't know how much the chemistry would vary so we don't really know.

Bill Gill


C is not the speed of light in a vacuum.
C is the universal speed limit.
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Superstar
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It's interesting to speculate, though. If they were susceptible to our germs, or we to theirs, it would make an interesting problem. Hello, how are you, have some germs to fight. Not the best way to greet an alien species. I'm sure we would have plenty of infectious diseases to share with any alien we come in contact with. The only question is will we be able to treat them effectively? There's no knowing how an alien metabolism might respond to any antibiotics we might try to use on them. I think it's best we stay in our spacesuits and not share atmospheres with them. It would not be surprising to find out the first contact party had succumbed to novel bacteria.


If you don't care for reality, just wait a while; another will be along shortly. --A Rose

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