In an astonishing article in the Journal of Cosmology an astrobiologist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Dr. Richard B. Hoover, has found what he says is conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life.
More over the jump
In an extensively peer reviewed study in the Journal of Cosmology, he claims to have discovered evidence of microfossils similar to Cyanobacteria in an extremely rare class of meteorite (CI1 carbonaceous chondrites).
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.
In order to head off skeptics, his study and evidence were made available for peer review to 100 experts and have issued a general invitation to over 5000 scientists from the scientific community prior to the study’s publication.
Environmental (ESEM) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) investigations of the internal surfaces of the CI1 Carbonaceous Meteorites have yielded images of large complex filaments. The filaments have been observed to be embedded in freshly fractured internal surfaces of the stones. They exhibit features (e.g., the size and size ranges of the internal cells and their location and arrangement within sheaths) that are diagnostic of known genera and species of trichomic cyanobacteria and other trichomic prokaryotes such as the filamentous sulfur bacteria. ESEM and FESEM studies of living and fossil cyanobacteria show similar features in uniseriate and multiseriate, branched or unbranched, isodiametric or tapered, polarized or unpolarized filaments with trichomes encased within thin or thick external sheaths. Filaments found in the CI1 meteorites have also been detected that exhibit structures consistent with the specialized cells and structures used by cyanobacteria for reproduction (baeocytes, akinetes and hormogonia), nitrogen fixation (basal, intercalary or apical heterocysts) and attachment or motility (fimbriae). Energy dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) studies indicate that the meteorite filaments are typically carbon rich sheaths infilled with magnesium sulfate and other minerals characteristic of the CI1 carbonaceous meteorites.
An amazing claim that will have tremendous impact if the study hold up.
Updated by Unit Zero at Sun Mar 6, 2011, 11:23:09 AM
Wow, Rec list - Thanks.
As many have stated below, there is some controversy over the findings. I'll reserve judgment until further review. I still have to say that this is amazing though.