Unboilable bug points to hotter origin of life

The Guardian ^ | Friday August 15, 2003 | Alok Jha, science reporter

[gd124]

Scientists have discovered the world's toughest life form. The single-celled microbe, called "strain 121" for the moment, can survive at a scorching 130C higher than the boiling point of water and nearly 20 degrees higher than the previous record holder.

The discovery is announced today in the journal Science by Derek Lovley and Kazem Kashefi of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. It raises the possibility that life began on earth earlier than currently thought.

"Our goal was not to break the temperature limit," said Prof Lovley. "As part of the general characterisation of any organism, you look at what temperature range it can survive.

"With this organism we kept ratcheting up the temperature and it just kept surviving until, basically in desperation we put it in an autoclave, which is supposed to kill all living organisms."

After 10 hours at 121C strain 121 was still alive and well. Prof Lovley said it took a temperature of 130C to finally kill the microbe.

The previous record holder for temperature endurance is a microbe called pyrolobus fumarii, which can survive up to 113 degrees celsius.

Strain 121 was collected by the research team in the Juan de Fuca ridge, which separates tectonic plates in the Pacific, 2,400 metres (a mile and a half) deep, which regularly vents iron and sulphur compounds.

Prof Lovley became interested in organisms living at high temperatures when he noticed large amounts of magnetites - rocks containing large amounts of iron - turning up in unusual environments, such as deep in the earth's crust.

Magnetites are produced where "iron-breathing" micro-organisms exist, and they are therefore good evidence of the presence of life.

Prof Lovley said: "As you go deeper in the earth it gets hotter, so as you increase the known temperature limit for life, this increases the depth at which you might find life."

It also means that life may have begun when the planet was hotter, and therefore older, than previously thought.

[vbmoneyspender]

This is also suggests that the earth may be literally alive with such organisms and that they may provide an answer for where oil comes from.

[GovernmentShrinker]

. . . and how it could be made in factories.

[badfreeper]

"Scientists have discovered the world's toughest life form. The single-celled microbe, called "strain 121" for the moment, can survive at a scorching 130C higher than the boiling point of water and nearly 20 degrees higher than the previous record holder.

...

"After 10 hours at 121C strain 121 was still alive and well. Prof Lovley said it took a temperature of 130C to finally kill the microbe..."

Very poor journalism. Zero degrees celcius is the freezing point of water. Water turns to gas (steam) at 100C.

[CalvaryJohn]

Idiotic presuppositionalists who cling to evolutionary theory work themselves into a bad spot. The odds of life appearing on its own keep showing less probability with our knowledge of cellular biology. Thus, they need more time in their equation to keep the theory alive. Must suck to be roped into that kind of orthodoxy.

[Rudder]

Water turns to gas (steam) at 100C.

Yeah, but an autoclave is pressurized and, thus, temperatures higher than 100C are possible.

[Russell Scott]

Eternal creatures in God's image and likeness, like Christ, can walk on the Sun all day long if they chose. The problem with modern science is they have no DNA from Christ's risen body, or they would discover all kinds of things that natural science has no answer for.

[LiteKeeper]

How does one make the leap from a microbe that can tolerate high temperatures to the origin of life? Sounds like a faith statement to me.

[Boiler Plate]

Rudder,

THe article first said it was "130 degrees above boiling temp" (or 100 degrees) for a total of 230. Then it just said 130 degrees, which would only 30 degress above boiling. I assuming they are refering to one atmosphere. A simple journalistic error just the same.

[swilhelm73]

Guess this explains the media's belief in the whole global warming hoax.

[rmmcdaniell]

Idiotic presuppositionalists who cling to evolutionary theory work themselves into a bad spot. The odds of life appearing on its own keep showing less probability with our knowledge of cellular biology. Thus, they need more time in their equation to keep the theory alive. Must suck to be roped into that kind of orthodoxy.

Do you want to debate or just hurl insults? If its the latter please go back to your bible.

[rmmcdaniell]

How does one make the leap from a microbe that can tolerate high temperatures to the origin of life? Sounds like a faith statement to me.

From the article: It raises the possibility that life began on earth earlier than currently thought.

It doesn't sound like faith to me, just another hypothesis in the search for truth. What’s the matter Litekeeper? Is the light of truth shaking your faith? I think your unwarranted attack is nothing more than an attempt to make yourself feel better so you can forget for a while about the doubt creeping into your mind.

[boris]

"Strain 121 was collected by the research team in the Juan de Fuca ridge"

I thought it said "Juan de Ruca Fridge".

--Boris

[boris]

"This is also suggests that the earth may be literally alive with such organisms and that they may provide an answer for where oil comes from."

Since I take Xenical I can tell you where oil comes from--but you don't want to know.

--Boris

[mtbopfuyn]

Definitely not a french bug.

[Dan Cooper]

Thomas Gold
The Deep Hot Biosphere

[Rudder]

You're right. It's been my unhappy experience that science and journalism don't mix.

[funnyguy1969]

I have one important question for you. Where did love or emotions come from? Was it the microorganisms in the rock, if so why are not rocks having kids or arguing or just being happy? If not rocks, then what?

[rmmcdaniell]

Where did love or emotions come from? Was it the microorganisms in the rock, if so why are not rocks having kids or arguing or just being happy? If not rocks, then what?

What the hell kind of question is that?

[funnyguy1969]

Well in the laws of thermal dynamics, you can't have something from nothing. Since you think there is no god, then where did emotions come from. Thus, the only possibilities would be from water or minerals, so which organism carry the genetic code for emotions?