30,000 year old squirrel seeds found along with giant virus

[Dryson]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/11/health/ancient-squirrel-leads-to-giant-virus-discovery/index.html

If a seed can survive for 30,000 years under nearly 100 feet of permafrost and used to regrow a living plant then it is possible that seeds from other worlds are present on icy comets in our own solar system hidden away waiting for the correct environment to seed their self.

 

[Silvercrest]

Hidden there by cosmic squirrels, no doubt.

 

[MantaBase]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/11/health/ancient-squirrel-leads-to-giant-virus-discovery/index.html

If a seed can survive for 30,000 years under nearly 100 feet of permafrost and used to regrow a living plant then it is possible that seeds from other worlds are present on icy comets in our own solar system hidden away waiting for the correct environment to seed their self.

didn't know squirrels came from seeds (j/k)

We know asteroids and I think comets are littered with prebiotic organics and likely viruses. But seeds? I find it more likely small single celled proto-organisms or pre-genetic type materials rather than seeds - and I find those very unlikely. Though I was just talking about Panspermia. Dr. Steven Benner seems to think it was needed for life to start on Earth - and he is not alone - though I tend to think it's not needed.

 

[Trekker4747]

Wait.... I thought squrrels were mammals and were created through sexual intercourse....you're telling me they're created by seeds?

 

[scotthm]

If a seed can survive for 30,000 years under nearly 100 feet of permafrost and used to regrow a living plant then it is possible that seeds from other worlds are present on icy comets in our own solar system hidden away waiting for the correct environment to seed their self.

Just like it's possible the moon really is made of cheese and we just haven't dug deep enough yet.

---------------

 

[scotpens]

We know asteroids and I think comets are littered with prebiotic organics and likely viruses. But seeds? I find it more likely small single celled proto-organisms or pre-genetic type materials rather than seeds - and I find those very unlikely. Though I was just talking about Panspermia. Dr. Steven Benner seems to think it was needed for life to start on Earth - and he is not alone - though I tend to think it's not needed.

Which of course, poses the question: If life on Earth came from "out there," where and when did life "out there" begin?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Artist's rendering.

 

[MantaBase]

We know asteroids and I think comets are littered with prebiotic organics and likely viruses. But seeds? I find it more likely small single celled proto-organisms or pre-genetic type materials rather than seeds - and I find those very unlikely. Though I was just talking about Panspermia. Dr. Steven Benner seems to think it was needed for life to start on Earth - and he is not alone - though I tend to think it's not needed.

Which of course, poses the question: If life on Earth came from "out there," where and when did life "out there" begin?

Well, this is when I refer to Jaws. I think we are gonna need a bigger "If".

From what we currently understand, first life could have started ~300 million years after the first habitable planet existed. SO, pretty quick. But then you have all that other stuff - like extinction and evolution - getting in the way. I personally don't think Earth NEEDED seeding - but some folks (with more biology background than me) think it did. If they are right - that would put some pretty serious limits on life in the universe I think.

Anyways - many meteorites have a nice dose of organic compounds in them. Did it come from previous life? Or is organic chemistry possible without life (the latter is the favored thought)

 

[publiusr]

Giant virus--ugh