OMG, NATURE.

[stellarwind]

Bacteria first species observed to use arsenic-laced DNA backbone.

ALTERNATIVE BIOLOGY. IT IS HAPPENING.

Comments

[maniackatie.livejournal.com]

Two things.

Originally read this line like this: "Surprisingly, a team of scientists provide evidence FOR SCIENCE! that another element..."

And...: "The researchers’ discovery that bacteria can substitute phosphorus with arsenic in the backbone of DNA has significant implications for evolutionary chemistry and astrobiology, since it suggests that life won't necessarily be limited to the six elements it favors here on Earth. In fact, NASA announced a press conference on these results as relevant to the search for extraterrestrial life, which set off a wave of speculation as to what the agency knew."

I squeed when reading that. Really, really loudly. That's fucking awesome. 8D