Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion General Science Discussion Forum Alien Microbes

I think it is highly plausible that an alien microbe that infiltrates earth could cause a biological chain reaction that destroys life on earth. In the future, we (NASA) should avoid bringing back samples from outer space. In fact, I think it should be tested in the space center before bringing it here.

What do you think?

"Andromeda Strain" Michael Crichton, 1969 (fair book) and 1971 (poor moovie). Buncha crap. Anything ET that visits Earth gets eaten. PVC shower curtains get consumed - and that is with incorporated microbiocides.

Ya wanna worry about the sky falling? Viable microbes that have been isolated from the biome for 60+ million years infest deep South African gold mines, oil wells, and coal seams. Culturing extremophiles is a big business for PhD theses and commercial enzyme products. Do we bring any of that to the surface without due precautions?

I have heard of the "Andromeda Strain" movie, but I did not see it. What if the microbes were contained in meteor rocks that hit earth? Possible, right?

Do you have any info/links on these dangerous microbes in South Africa?

Edisonian wrote:
"I think it is highly plausible that an alien microbe that infiltrates earth could cause a biological chain reaction that destroys life on earth."

Based upon what? Your wild specualtion? Your lack of knowledge of biology? Your thought is preposterous on its face.

1. There is no evidence that alien microbes exist anywhere other than in science fiction.

2. There is no rational reason based on any known biochemistry that could account for what you assume even if they existed.

3. Everybody knows cockroaches are indestructible.

Too bad ignorance isn't.