NASA SCIENTIST CLAIMS TO HAVE FOUND FOSSILIZED REMAINS OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL BACTERIA IN FRESHLY FRACTURED METEORITES
March 5th, 2011Via: Journal of Cosmology:
Journal of Cosmology, 2011, Vol 13,
JournalofCosmology.com March, 2011
Fossils of Cyanobacteria in CI1 Carbonaceous Meteorites
Richard B. Hoover, Ph.D. NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
Synopsis
Dr. Hoover has discovered evidence of microfossils similar to Cyanobacteria, in freshly fractured slices of the interior surfaces of the Alais, Ivuna, and Orgueil CI1 carbonaceous meteorites. Based on Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and other measures, Dr. Hoover has concluded they are indigenous to these meteors and are similar to trichomic cyanobacteria and other trichomic prokaryotes such as filamentous sulfur bacteria. He concludes these fossilized bacteria are not Earthly contaminants but are the fossilized remains of living organisms which lived in the parent bodies of these meteors, e.g. comets, moons, and other astral bodies. The implications are that life is everywhere, and that life on Earth may have come from other planets.
Members of the Scientific community were invited to analyze the results and to write critical commentaries or to speculate about the implications. These commentaries will be published on March 7 through March 10, 2011.
Official Statement from Dr. Rudy Schild,
Center for Astrophysics, Harvard-Smithsonian,
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cosmology.
We believe Dr. Hoover’s careful analysis provides definitive evidence of ancient microbial life on astral bodies some of which may predate the origin of Earth and this solar system.
Dr. Richard Hoover is a highly respected scientist and astrobiologist with a prestigious record of accomplishment at NASA. Given the controversial nature of his discovery, we have invited 100 experts and have issued a general invitation to over 5000 scientists from the scientific community to review the paper and to offer their critical analysis. Our intention is to publish the commentaries, both pro and con, alongside Dr. Hoover’s paper. In this way, the paper will have received a thorough vetting, and all points of view can be presented. No other paper in the history of science has undergone such a thorough analysis, and no other scientific journal in the history of science has made such a profoundly important paper available to the scientific community, for comment, before it is published. We believe the best way to advance science, is to promote debate and discussion.
I am speechless.
Let’s hope it doesn’t end up like the NASA annoucement about a “new” life form.
If what he claims is true, and life is scattered throughout space, we are left with the same questions about the information content of DNA that we have with a terrestrial origin but a vaster scenario of possibilities.
I wonder whether, again if what he claims is true, such life could itself have a terrestrial or local origin, dating back, perhaps to when it is thought by some that earth and some other object in our solar system collided: just as we have meteorites on earth that are supposed to be Martian in origin, shot into space through massive impacts, perhaps Earth’s turbulent past has seeded our solar system with terrestrial life.
In light of currently accepted cosmology, if, in the distant future, life is proven to be widespread and universally ‘common’ huge questions will be raised about the amazing potential the laws that govern this place have to seemingly so rapidly, perhaps inevitably, produce life. A statistical freakout.
A more conservative scenario would involve life spreading from a single point of origin like dandelion seeds on the cosmic winds of newtonian, electrical and even radiative forces. Despite arguments that the number of planets in this mind-blowingly huge universe make it certain there is life elsewhere, not knowing the odds, themselves perhaps similarly mind-blowing, of life developing it is entirely possible that this solar system could be that point of origin.
There also remains the possibility that Earth was seeded, whether intentionally or unintentionally, by other entities. I’m wary of bringing this up for certain reasons but felt I should mention it to cover all bases.
For some inarticulable reasons, I’m still quite skeptical of this “evidence”.
Though I think ultimately something along these lines will be discovered, this just doesn’t seem like the clencher.
Top NASA astrobiologists distancing themselves from Hoover. Point out that he submitted this stuff before in 2007 and couldn’t get it published.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/07/2704830/scientists-skeptical-of-meteorite.html
Also– people are crapping on the Journal of Cosmology … here:
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/03/did_scientists_discover_bacter.php
@ dano5050
Thanks for that.
After reading your post I was surprised to discover the upcoming movie ‘Battle:LA’ was produced by Columbia and not Fox: It would’ve made sense that this was a subliminal ad of sorts.