Adapted life

karov · 2005-11-09 02:38:54

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-05zzzzzzzb.html

The fact that these organisms possess genetic mchanisms to withstand the both sides of the temprature spectrum , means that they in principle could be programmed to live before the terraformation ( and actually to boost it ), and after when the conditions are "normal".

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-05zzzzzzzr.html

With such coperativelly simple biotech we`d be very close to the "dyson trees"...

http://www.technologyreview.com/article … s10999.asp

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/20/035.html

..."warm blooded" Plants able to live in vacuum, having solar concentrator leafs, might be used to forrest comets, small icy moons, etc.

noosfractal · 2005-11-09 03:48:19

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/life-05zzzzzzzr.html
... lichens have the capacity to resist full exposure to the harsh space conditions, especially high levels of UV radiation. Analysis post flight showed a full rate of survival and an unchanged ability for photosynthesis.

That's really quite freaky that the lichen basically just shrugged off 14 days of hard vacuum.

Awesome links karov, thanks.
_

karov · 2005-11-09 07:03:39

VERY great opportunities here.

The terraforming is not self-purpouse -- it is just ( the most potent ) line of logical evolution of the real estate business. Roughly , we`ll terraform if it worths as profits and money.

BUT, vacuum adapted biota, will produce regardless of earthlike atmosphere, warmth, solid 1 gee surface BIOMASS. We are biomass, and our biomass to grow we need other biomass produced. Very significant % of our industrial mass is also organic CHON mass - plastic, wood, ... carbon fibers, etc.

Even in the most early stages of space colonization ( which is in no degree principlally different than the old earthly colonization) , we`d need more space forrests to exploit, than to build everithing piece by piece with huge industrial hardware mass, many workers etc. from rough material. Biology is nano-tech don`t forget. Yes inefficient nano-tech, tens of times bulkyer, less than 1% power efficient, but money-efficient, when you have so much room for improvements and intensification, when only huge in the begining is enough instead of enormous eventually.

SpaceNut · 2005-11-09 10:30:25

Being able to alter the very plaet that we wish to someday inhabitat maybe easier with the use of such items of our current ecology.

Well after seeing the initial links I recalled a little bit of discusion in a few threads.

SHOT Martian Environment Simulator

Designer Plants on Mars

Life Finds a Way

Utah Microbes Point to Mars - Research into extremophiles

"Stowaways" could survive on Mars

microbes breathing in ice

Each of these very unique species have shown that under certain cinditions that they can still thrive even in the extremes.

The item on the bio energy reminded me of the star trek episode where there power system got a cold and as it progressed thoughout its internal systems the ship became very inhospital to the crew. We definitely need to be very careful in such a new close loop system that mars would have initially not to have such a devistating event to the very organisms that we feel would help us to teraform the planet.

MarsDog · 2005-11-09 16:02:23

Biological fluids are unstable, operate only within a narrow temperature range.
Cannot transmit power as well as electric current in a wire.

Isolated, outside the biological soup, a life support system has to be brought along, such as the space suit for the astronaut.

There may be a role in creating a small biosphere for lichens eating away at rocks.
But the advantage of using robots in fluidless environments will remain.

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If you could evolve a silicon solar powered insect, upscale it,
it would have greater efficiency than a biofluid version.

Add lasers to cut the rock.
Remodeling the whole planet, like an army of ants, buisy all the time.

karov · 2005-11-10 01:42:08

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-wat … e-05q.html -- liquid water on Mars, now!

MarsDog · 2005-11-13 16:11:14

Some life forms evolve to optimize speed, others like lichens, starfish and turtles for hardiness.

With microbe eat microbe evolution on Mars some superbugs may be hiding in the sand and caves.

SpaceNut · 2005-11-14 06:58:57

Another Unlikely Worm In NASA Research

Normally fodder for anglers and early birds, worms are now getting attention at NASA particularly a little-known species that lives in freezing temperatures and can survive two years without food.
Researchers hope the hardy wigglers can unlock the secrets of how life might survive on distant ice worlds such as Jupiter's moon Europa, as well as provide answers to more earthbound problems such as preserving transplant organs kept on ice.

I guess there is still lots more to find even here on Earth..

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#1 2005-11-09 02:38:54

Re: Adapted life

#2 2005-11-09 03:48:19

Re: Adapted life

#3 2005-11-09 07:03:39

Re: Adapted life

#4 2005-11-09 10:30:25

Re: Adapted life

#5 2005-11-09 16:02:23

Re: Adapted life

#6 2005-11-10 01:42:08

Re: Adapted life

#7 2005-11-13 16:11:14

Re: Adapted life

#8 2005-11-14 06:58:57

Re: Adapted life

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