India's red rain may contain life not seen on Earth

Re:India's red rain may contain life not seen on Earth by gowiththeflow on Thursday September 02, 2010 @09:12PM (#1658272)

"The only lifeforms that occur or Earth without DNA, according to another commentor, are proteins known as 'prions', best known on Earth as the cause of Mad Cow Disease."

I was not aware that prions were considered a lifeform.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:India's red rain may contain life not seen on Earth by jonhendry on Friday September 03, 2010 @12:06AM (#1658601)

If I'm not mistaken, they can 'reproduce' after a fashion, by warping other nearby normal proteins into prions.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:India's red rain may contain life not seen on Earth by Devilboy on Thursday September 02, 2010 @09:18PM (#1658284)

It depends on the definition of 'life' you're using. There's lots of disagreement on what the definition should be exactly.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:India's red rain may contain life not seen on Earth by carbocation on Thursday September 02, 2010 @09:26PM (#1658298)

There really is nobody arguing that prions are alive. Unlike viruses, for which there is at least a vigorous debate, prions just don't cut it, lacking virtually all of the features that we associate with life.

I can't believe that this news article is quoting from commenters on the technologyreview arxiv blog.

[ Parent | on HN ]